On May 22 began a long series of monthly “pre-trial hearings”. The audiences involved Carlos Ghosn and his lawyers, along with the prosecutor and the judge in charge of the case, at the 17th Chamber of the Tokyo District Court.
The purpose of these pre-trial hearings, for a trial which has yet to be scheduled, is to speed it up by reviewing the charges, present arguments and file testimonies and evidence.
Following these preliminary hearings, the presentation of any new evidence could be accepted at the sole discretion of the judge in charge of the case. Although these proceedings have already started, the Nikkei states that the hunt to evidence of Carlos Ghosn’s guilt continues.
“It is possible that these preliminary hearings could last a year or more, perhaps until the spring or summer of 2020. We will ask the judge to specify his schedule.”
Takashi Takano – Carlos Ghosn’s lawyer