Tokyo / Hong Kong / New York (CNN Business) Carlos Ghosn has arrived in Lebanon after fleeing Japan, where he faced charges of financial wrongdoing, in a dramatic escape from what the former auto industry boss called a "rigged" justice system.

The sudden flight under mysterious circumstances is the latest twist in a legal saga that has resulted in Ghosn's ouster as chairman of Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors, and his resignation as chairman and CEO of alliance partner Renault.

Ghosn confirmed in a statement Tuesday that he had arrived in Lebanon, saying that he would "no longer be held hostage by a rigged Japanese justice system where guilt is presumed, discrimination is rampant, and basic human rights are denied."

It's not clear how Ghosn — who is a citizen of France, Brazil and Lebanon — was able to leave Japan before his trial took place. Ghosn's lawyer Junichiro Hironaka told reporters Tuesday that the departure of his client, who faced a lengthy potential prison sentence, was a "complete surprise."

"We are puzzled and shocked," he said in front of TV cameras gathered outside his office in Tokyo. Hironaka added that Ghosn's attorneys hold his passports, and that the former auto executive "could not possibly use them."