Facts
The Criminal Court of the Canton of Basel-Stadt convicted A. of attempted grievous bodily harm. The Court of Appeal found A. guilty of simple bodily harm with a dangerous object. A. filed a criminal appeal with the Federal Supreme Court and requested to be acquitted of the charge of simple bodily harm. He complained that he was not allowed to question the witnesses D., E. and F., who testified against him, about any potential criminal proceedings against them for offences against the administration of justice.Considerations
The Federal Supreme Court dismissed the appeal. It stated that inquiries into the prior life and personal circumstances of a witness pursuant to Art. 164 para. 1 CrimPC should only be conducted with restraint and to the extent necessary for the assessment of evidence. The credibility of the specific witness testimony is decisive, not the general credibility of the witness as a person. If the witness statements, as in the present case, are consistent,…