The credit of a witness may be impeached in the following ways by the adverse party, or, with the consent of the Court, by the party who calls him: -
(1) By the evidence of persons who testify that they, from their knowledge of the witness, believe him to be unworthy of credit;
(2) By proof that the witness has been bribed, or has 1[accepted] the offer of bride, or has received any other corrupt inducement to give his evidence;
(3) By proof of former statements inconsistent with any part of his evidence which is liable to be contradicted;
2* * * * *
Explanation.- A witness declaring another witness to be unworthy of credit may not, upon his examination-in-chief, give reasons for his belief, but he may be asked his reasons in cross-examination, and the answers which he gives cannot be contradicted, though, if they are false, he may afterwards be charged with giving false evidence.
Illustrations
(a) A sues B for the price of goods sold and delivered to B.
C says that he delivered the goods to B.
Evidence is offered to show that, on a previous occasion, he said that he had not delivered goods to B. The evidence is admissible.
(b) A is indicted for the murder of B.
C says that B, when dying declared that A had given B the wound of which he died.
Evidence is offered to show that, on a previous occasion, C said that the wound was not given by A or in his presence.
The evidence is admissible.
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1. Subs. by Act 18 of 1872, s. 11, for "had".
2. Clause (4) omitted by Act 4 of 2003, s. 3 (w.e.f. 31-12-2002).
Section 151 Indecent and scandalous questions
Section 152 Questions intended to insult or annoy
Section 153 Exclusion of evidence to contradict answers to questions testing veracity
Section 154 Question by party to his own witness
Section 155 Impeaching credit of witness
Section 156 Questions tending to corroborate evidence of relevant fact, admissible
Section 160 Testimony to facts stated in document mentioned in section159