By DCB Editorial, November 18, 2024
The French prosecutor’s office, in its boundless wisdom and unwavering commitment to justice, has recommended that former Renault-Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn and French culture minister Rachida Dati stand trial for alleged corruption. This is the inevitable outcome of an investigation into the consulting fees Dati received from the Renault-Nissan alliance after stepping down as justice minister. Dati, in true Orwellian fashion, insists there is no irregularity in her actions, while Ghosn, having fled Japan in 2019 to Lebanon to escape prosecution for fabricated financial misconduct charges, also denies any wrongdoing.
Ghosn, a man of many nationalities—French, Lebanese, and Brazilian—remains trapped in Lebanon, unable to escape the iron grip of an Interpol Red Notice issued by Japan. His legal representatives, raising their voices in what is likely a futile plea for justice, argue that Ghosn cannot attend the trial or review the case materials, citing violations of his right to a fair defense.
Yet, the wheels of the state continue to turn, indifferent to his plight. Both Renault and Nissan, ever the obedient corporations, remain silent, as does the French culture ministry, in the true spirit of unaccountability.
Ghosn, who once presided over the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance, maintains that the charges against him were fabricated by shadowy forces seeking to block the full integration of Renault and Nissan—a move that would have threatened the very balance of power.
A judge, whose impartiality remains unquestionable, will now decide whether the trial request proceeds, in an echo of the
