Ghosn ponders Hollywood action

A Turkish jet executive on trial over Carlos Ghosn’s escape from Japan has told a court the former Nissan boss spoke about Hollywood making a movie of his getaway.

Ghosn, pictured, was arrested in Japan in late 2018 and charged with engaging in financial wrongdoing, charges he denies.

The ousted chairman of the Nissan, Renault and Mitsubishi alliance was under house arrest in Japan and awaiting trial when he escaped in December via Istanbul to Beirut.

A boss from Turkish private jet operator MNG Jet and four pilots, who were arrested in January and charged with migrant smuggling, appeared at an Istanbul court on July 3. Two flight attendants, charged with failing to report a crime, were also there.

All seven defendants deny the charges.

Prosecutors claim MNG Jet operations manager Okan Kosemen, one of the seven on trial, knew before the flight left Osaka that Ghosn would be on board and would transfer to Beirut.

Kosemen refuted this and told the court he only learned via phone about Ghosn’s presence on the plane during its flight to Istanbul, which had been arranged by a Lebanese broker, reports Reuters. 

Kosemen, who said he only co-operated under duress, met the plane at an Istanbul airport and accompanied Ghosn on the Beirut-bound flight, he told the court. 

“Carlos asked me how much the plane cost ... and told me about Hollywood producers who want to make this escape a movie,” he said.

After the session on July 3, the court ordered the release of Kosemen and the four pilots, who have been in custody, pending further proceedings.

Japan has asked the United States to extradite two Americans who are also accused of helping Ghosn flee Japan. They were arrested in Massachusetts in May.

Renault and Nissan have struggled following Ghosn’s tenure, during which both carmakers say he focused too much on expanding sales and market share.