Ex-Nissan boss faces more time in custody as bail denied

INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Image copyrightReutersA Tokyo court has rejected Carlos Ghosn's latest request for bail, despite his promise to wear an electronic tag to
secure his release
The former Nissan boss has been in detention since 19 November on allegations of financial misconduct
Lawyers for Mr Ghosn, who denies any wrongdoing, have said he could remain in custody for months
Though bail is rarely granted in Japan without a confession, the length of his detention has drawn some criticism
Mr Ghosn's lawyers had offered a series of conditions in a bid to secure bail, including a promise to stay in Japan
He offered to hand over his three passports, wear an electronic tagging device and hire guards to monitor him.No decision for the denial was
provided, but the court had previously rejected bail on grounds that Mr Ghosn was a flight risk and may conceal evidence
His detention, which is likely to continue for months, has drawn criticism of Japan's justice system.In Japan, interrogations can be done
without a lawyer present
Suspects can be detained for up to 23 days before being formally charged
Bail is not easily granted unless a suspect admits to the charges, according to the Japanese Federation of Bar Associations.Mr Ghosn, a
towering figure of the car industry, faces three charges of financial misconduct including understating his income and aggravated breach of
trust.The 64-year-old was the architect of the Renault-Nissan alliance and brought Mitsubishi on board in 2016.Both Nissan and Mitsubishi
sacked him as chairman after his arrest, but Renault has so far kept him on as he awaits trial
The French carmaker is reportedly pushing forward with plans to remove him
In a statement issued on Monday, Mr Ghosn restated his innocence
"I am not guilty of the charges against me and I look forward to defending my reputation in the courtroom," he said