The case of auto tycoon Carlos Ghosn has gripped Japan and the business world since his stunning arrest in November, and now he is finally getting his day in court. Ghosn will be able to make his first public statement at a brief hearing on Tuesday, after his lawyers used…
The case of auto tycoon Carlos Ghosn has gripped Japan and the business world since his stunning arrest in November, and now he is finally getting his day in court.
Ghosn will be able to make his first public statement at a brief hearing on Tuesday, after his lawyers used an obscure article of Japan’s constitution to demand an explanation for his detention.
Kyodo News reported that more than 1,100 people lined up for only 14 public gallery seats available before the hearing.
What will happen in court?
The hearing is “a dialogue between the lawyer and the judge, and the prosecutor is not required to be present,” said Yasuyuki Takai, a former investigator at the unit that arrested Ghosn. The judge is likely to give a brief explanation for Ghosn’s detention, and the Constitution mandates that the accused be permitted to speak as well.
However, there is no allotted time for his comments, and the judge could require Ghosn to read a prepared statement rather than give off-the-cuff remarks. In theory, he is free to say what he wants until the judge tells him to stop, said Takai.
“He can wear what he wants, but he’ll be handcuffed until the entrance of the courtroom,” he added.
