They came to Beirut specifically to question him.
A delegation of French magistrates must hear this Monday for the first time the former boss of Renault-Nissan Carlos Ghosn targeted by investigations in France, in particular for abuse of corporate assets.
On the menu of questions for this hearing scheduled over five days: two parties at the Palace of Versailles, financial flows with a commercial distributor in Oman, as well as consulting services when Carlos Ghosn was CEO of Renault-Nissan.
"The defense has already identified in the French files procedural irregularities that it considers serious", denounce in a press release the three lawyers of Mr. Ghosn, Mr. Carlos Abou-Jaoude, Jean-Yves Le Borgne and Jean Tamalet.
"These anomalies, which weaken the judicial process, come from the unique methods of the Japanese investigation which remains the main source of French cases".
The former automobile magnate, aged 67, "heard as a witness, has therefore no possibility of contesting the legality of the procedure", they note.
"Only the status of indictment", which the three lawyers "call for, will allow him to denounce the legal defects affecting the case and to carry out hearings", they believe.
By being indicted, Mr. Ghosn will be able to have access to the file, therefore to know the charges against him, but above all to request acts (second opinions, hearings of witnesses, confrontations, etc.).
But this indictment will not be able to intervene as long as he is not on French soil.
A flight to "escape injustice"
The former businessman, targeted by an Interpol arrest warrant, has been forced to stay in Lebanon since his incredible flight from Japan in December 2019. Arrested in November 2018 on the tarmac at Tokyo airport, he was free on bail after several months of detention, with a ban on leaving the archipelago pending trial on suspicion of financial embezzlement at Nissan when he foiled the surveillance of the Japanese authorities.
Presumably hidden in a box of audio equipment on board a private jet, the Franco-Lebanese-Brazilian assured not to have "fled justice", but to have wanted "to escape injustice", denouncing a "conspiracy" of Japanese authorities against him.
This situation did not facilitate the work of the French investigators, who are also interested in the former automobile magnate, in particular for suspicions of misuse of corporate assets: in July 2020 an examining magistrate had asked hear it, but Carlos Ghosn had assured not to be able to leave Lebanon.
The magistrates then decided to come to him to question him last January.
A hearing finally postponed to the spring, due to health restrictions linked to the coronavirus pandemic.
It is therefore after these twists and turns that Carlos Ghosn will finally be heard within the framework of the investigations carried out in Nanterre and in Paris.
This hearing carried out by investigating judges from Nanterre and Paris, in the presence of investigators from the Anti-Corruption Office (OCLCIFF), must be held until Friday, as part of international criminal assistance.
Lebanese magistrates will also be present.
Rachida Dati placed under the status of assisted witness
In Nanterre, justice suspects Carlos Ghosn of having drawn personal benefit from a sponsorship agreement between Renault and the establishment which manages the Palace of Versailles, by organizing two evenings there.
Investigators are also looking into several million euros in payments considered suspicious between RNBV, a Dutch subsidiary embodying the alliance of Renault and Nidssan, and the distributor of the French car manufacturer in Oman, Suhail Bahwan Automobiles (SBA).
Last twist: a new complaint, filed on May 18.
A Renault shareholder accuses Carlos Ghosn of having made the automobile group pay "substantial sums" to RNBV without "the knowledge of the shareholders".
In Paris, following a complaint from the same shareholder, investigating judges have been interested since 2019 in consulting services concluded by RNBV with the former French Minister of Justice Rachida Dati and the criminologist Alain Bauer.
Ms Dati and Mr Bauer, who deny any irregularity in the contracts, were placed under the status of assisted witness in this case, as was the former right-hand man at Renault of the Franco-Lebanese businessman, Mouna Sepehri.
