Carlos Ghosn’s bail application rejected by Japanese court

Carlos Ghosn’s latest bail application was rejected by a Japanese court, extending his detention and helping prosecutors build their case against the fallen car titan who has already been in jail for almost two months.

Ghosn awaits a lengthy criminal trial that could be as long as six months away, after his surprise arrest on November 19.

The decision was announced Tuesday by the Tokyo District Court. Ghosn’s lawyers had submitted a bail application last week after the executive was indicted for a second count of financial misconduct accusations.

Ghosn was indicted for aggravated breach of trust for temporarily transferring personal investment losses to Nissan in 2008, and under-reporting his salary for three years through March 2018. He has denied the charges.

It is rare in Japan for defendants who deny their charges to be granted bail ahead of the trial.

Ghosn’s arrest has already raised questions over whether the two-decade partnership between Nissan and French partner Renault SA will survive his downfall. While Nissan dismissed Ghosn as chairman shortly after his arrest, Renault has retained him as chairman and chief executive officer, saying it needs evidence of his wrong-doing.

Earlier Ghosn’s wife said that her husband is living in “harsh” conditions and enduring “unfair treatment,” and that authorities have not let the family speak with medical personnel at the detention center. He’s lost almost seven kilograms (15 pounds), she said.

If proven, each of Ghosn’s alleged offense may carry a sentence of as much as 10 years, prosecutors have said.

Ghosn has been widely credited with saving Nissan from failure in the late 1990s and bringing it together with Renault.

The case has also put Japan’s criminal justice system under international scrutiny and sparked criticism for some of its practices, including keeping suspects in detention for long periods and prohibiting defense lawyers from being present during interrogations, which can last eight hours a day.