Question juridique clé
Whether the defendant had to be confronted with key witnesses before their statements were used against him
Solution extraite
Yes. The prior judgment had to be set aside and the case remitted so confrontation examinations could be carried out.
Motifs extraits
The witnesses' descriptions of stature, clothing, language and vehicle were used as incriminating evidence. Under Art. 6 ECHR and Art. 29 BV, the defendant was entitled to confront the incriminating witnesses; lapse of time and anticipated content did not remove that right.