TOKYO: Lawyers for former Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn on Thursday filed a fresh bail request for the auto titan after more than three months of detention, the Tokyo District Court said.
It is the first bail request filed by the 64-year-old since he shook up his legal team as he crafts his defense on three charges of financial misconduct.
The former high-flying executive has been in detention since his shock November 19 arrest, and has tried repeatedly without success to secure bail.
Ghosn’s legal team was not immediately available for comment on the new bail request.
His previous legal team deployed a rarely-used article of the Japanese constitution to force the court to explain why the Franco-Lebanese-Brazilian remained in detention.
A judge said Ghosn’s continued detention was justified because he posed a flight risk and there was a possibility he would conceal evidence.
Ghosn and his lawyers have argued that neither of those is the case, and he even offered to wear a tracking bracelet and hire guards to monitor his whereabouts, pledging to stay in Japan.
But so far the courts have shown no inclination to end his lengthy pre-trial detention, which has drawn some criticism internationally and from rights groups.
Prosecutors have defended his detention while they investigate three charges of financial misconduct, two involving alleged under-reporting of his salary and a third over a complex scheme in which Ghosn allegedly sought to transfer his losses to Nissan’s books.
Ghosn has denied all the allegations against him, and in an interview with AFP from his Tokyo detention he slammed his continued detention.
“Why am I being punished before being found guilty?” Ghosn asked, speaking to AFP and the Les Echos daily in January.
The refusal to grant him bail “would not be normal in any other democracy,” he said.
Ghosn earlier this month shook up his legal team, replacing his previous lead lawyer — a former prosecutor — with hot-shot lawyer Junichiro Hironaka, who has a history of taking on high-profile cases.
Ex-Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn makes fresh bail request
Ex-Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn makes fresh bail request
- It is the first bail request filed by the 64-year-old since he shook up his legal team
- Ghosn has denied all the allegations against him
Saudi POS spending jumps 28% in final week of Jan: SAMA
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s point-of-sale spending climbed sharply in the final week of January, rising nearly 28 percent from the previous week as consumer outlays increased across almost all sectors.
POS transactions reached SR16 billion ($4.27 billion) in the week ending Jan. 31, up 27.8 percent week on week, according to the Saudi Central Bank. Transaction volumes rose 16.5 percent to 248.8 million, reflecting stronger retail and service activity.
Spending on jewelry saw the biggest uptick at 55.5 percent to SR613.69 million, followed by laundry services which saw a 44.4 percent increase to SR62.83 million.
Expenditure on personal care rose 29.1 percent, while outlays on books and stationery increased 5.1 percent. Hotel spending climbed 7.4 percent to SR377.1 million.
Further gains were recorded across other categories. Spending in pharmacies and medical supplies rose 33.4 percent to SR259.19 million, while medical services increased 13.7 percent to SR515.44 million.
Food and beverage spending surged 38.6 percent to SR2.6 billion, accounting for the largest share of total POS value. Restaurants and cafes followed with a 20.4 percent increase to SR1.81 billion. Apparel and clothing spending rose 35.4 percent to SR1.33 billion, representing the third-largest share during the week.
The Kingdom’s key urban centers mirrored the national surge. Riyadh, which accounted for the largest share of total POS spending, saw a 22 percent rise to SR5.44 billion from SR4.46 billion the previous week. The number of transactions in the capital reached 78.6 million, up 13.8 percent week on week.
In Jeddah, transaction values increased 23.7 percent to SR2.16 billion, while Dammam reported a 22.2 percent rise to SR783.06 million.
POS data, tracked weekly by SAMA, provides an indicator of consumer spending trends and the ongoing growth of digital payments in Saudi Arabia.
The data also highlights the expanding reach of POS infrastructure, extending beyond major retail hubs to smaller cities and service sectors, supporting broader digital inclusion initiatives.
The growth of digital payment technologies aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 objectives, promoting electronic transactions and contributing to the Kingdom’s broader digital economy.
