Turkey court to hold 2nd trial over Ghosn smuggling

A Turkish court is set to hold the second trial on Thursday of four pilots on charges of smuggling former Nissan Motor Co. Chairman Carlos Ghosn out of Japan to Lebanon, via Turkey.

Turkish prosecutors are seeking up to eight years in prison each for the four pilots and the airline official on charges of illegally smuggling a migrant.

The two flight attendants, who were not under custody, face a one-year prison term each if convicted of not reporting a crime.

Ghosn, who was arrested over financial misconduct allegations in Tokyo in 2018, skipped bail while awaiting trial late last year.

He was flown from Osaka to Istanbul and was then transferred onto another plane bound for Beirut, where he arrived on December 30.

He is believed to have been smuggled inside a large box.

The indictment against the defendants states that Ghosn is believed to have been smuggled inside a foam-covered music box large enough to carry a person.

Ghosn, who has Lebanese citizenship, said he fled because he could not expect a fair trial in Japan.

Lebanon has no extradition treaty with Japan.

(IMAGE CREDITS:Twitter/@carlosghosn)