Pre-trial hearings in Ghosn case likely to last for months

Tokyo

CARLOS Ghosn, who served as chairman and chief executive officer of the world's biggest auto alliance, added another title to his resume today: defendant.

Pre-trial hearings began on Thursday at the Tokyo District Court's 17th Criminal Court Division, kicking off a new phase in a saga that started in November when Ghosn was arrested just after landing at Haneda Airport on a private jet.

His detention on allegations ranging from falsifying financial records to redirecting company money into his own accounts shocked the global auto industry. The alli…