The board of Japanese auto maker Mitsubishi Motors, which is allied with Renault and Nissan, voted unanimously on Monday to dismiss Carlos Ghosn as its chairman following his arrest last week.

Prosecutors arrested Ghosn on November 19 on suspicion he under-reported his income by $44 million over five years. Nissan Motor ousted him as its chairman last week, saying an internal investigation prompted by a whistleblower found Ghosn misused company money and assets.

Mitsubishi Motors’ CEO Osamu Masuko, chosen by the board as acting chairman pending a shareholders’ meeting, said Ghosn would not be able to perform his duties, considering his arrest and Nissan’s dismissal of him as chairman.

Masuko said he did not know the specifics of the criminal allegations and declined comment on the case.

When asked for his personal view about the situation, Masuko said he was baffled.

“To be honest, I was shocked, and I couldn’t believe it,” he told reporters at Mitsubishi Motors’ showroom at the headquarters.

“I still can’t figure out why, and I just don’t understand.”

But Masuko insisted the three-way alliance will persevere, saying it’s critical for the automakers’ futures, especially in working together on new technologies such as autonomous driving, artificial intelligence and connectivity for vehicles.

“We believe the alliance is needed,” Masuko said.

“Where the three companies are headed is not confrontation.”

Ghosn was central in creating the alliance, but would have had to leave eventually, he said, adding just that the “timing had come sooner”.

Renault has kept Ghosn as chief executive, while appointing an interim chair, while the company awaits more information about the allegations against him.

The disruptions over Ghosn’s case have added to worries about the future of the alliance among Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi, whose status as the most recent addition could be more precarious.