Tokyo prosecutors re-arrest ex-Nissan chairman on breach of trust: NHK report

[TOKYO] Japanese prosecutors re-arrested Nissan Motor Co's former chairman Carlos Ghosn on allegations of breach of trust, national broadcaster NHK reported, dealing a blow to the car titan's efforts to end his month-long stay in prison and seek bail.

Ghosn's lawyers declined to comment on the re-arrest Friday. NHK didn't say where it got the information from.

The development is a big departure from events of last night when the Tokyo district court refused to entertain prosecutors plea to extend the jail detention of Ghosn. That had raised hopes that his lawyers may be able to seek bail and get him out of prison to wait for his trial.

The arrest of the high-flying executive on Nov 19 at Tokyo's Haneda airport has rocked the world's biggest car alliance, raising questions over whether the decades-long partnership between Nissan and French partner Renault SA will survive his downfall. Renault has kept Ghosn as chairman and chief executive officer, saying it needs evidence of wrongdoing before moving to replace him.

Ghosn and Nissan were indicted on Dec 10 for under-reporting his income.

BLOOMBERG