Court orders bail for Nissan executive linked to Ghosn case

TOKYO: A Tokyo court on Tuesday granted bail for a Nissan executive accused of a key role in the financial misconduct case involving auto tycoon Carlos Ghosn, who remains in detention.

The Tokyo District Court said it had approved a request by lawyers for Greg Kelly and set bail for his release at 70 million yen ($635,000), which he paid in cash. Prosecutors appealed the decision, but the court turned them down, paving the way for his release.

Once freed, he could check into hospital due to a health problem, Japanese media said. Kelly was granted bail reportedly on condition that he should not leave Japan, make contact with anyone involved in the case, or destroy evidence.

He would also need court approval to attend board meetings at Nissan, public broadcaster NHK said. The 62-year-old American was arrested on November 19 at the same time as Ghosn on allegations he helped him under-report his compensation at Nissan for years.

The bail order comes after Kelly's wife issued a video statement saying she was "extremely concerned about his health." Kelly suffers from a spinal condition and was reportedly due to undergo surgery before his arrest in Tokyo.

"Greg was tricked into coming to Japan and betrayed by a group of Nissan executives as part of a political power grab. Their dishonourable motives are clear," Dee Kelly claimed. She said her husband, once Ghosn's right-hand man, had been "caught up in an international plot by some at Nissan to take control".