The prophet and the mysterious death of Charmain Speirs

The Prophet and the Mysterious Death of Charmain Speirs

A Life Shaped by Struggle and Faith

Charmain Speirs, who was 40 when she met Eric Adusah, had long been drawn to Pentecostalism, a rapidly expanding Christian movement. Through her faith, she seemed to find a sense of fulfillment she had previously lacked. Yet, something remained unmet. “She’d grown weary of ordinary men,” recalled Anne-Marie, one of her close friends. “She was searching for a man of God, someone who could offer the promises she believed in.” Her newfound interest led her to a renowned preacher, the leader of the Global Light Revival Church.

The Prophet and the Marriage

Adusah, hailing from Ghana, was a well-known figure on Christian television. Within his congregation, he was regarded not only as a pastor but also as a prophet, believed to channel divine revelations directly from the Almighty. Charmain and Adusah connected in 2014, and their relationship developed swiftly. By September of that year, they were married, with Charmain stepping into the role of “first lady” in the church. A bridesmaid, Mehrunissa Thomas, noted:

“She had gone from just being a normal person and suddenly she was this celebrity.”

The Mysterious Death

Just six months after their union, Charmain was found dead in a hotel bathtub in Ghana. Adusah was arrested on suspicion of murder but was later released due to insufficient evidence. He has consistently denied any involvement in her death. A decade later, a BBC Disclosure investigation revealed substantial gaps in his account of the night of the tragedy.

Witness Accounts and Omissions

Police records indicate that Adusah was the last person to see Charmain alive. In his statements, he described a lunch with her followed by a visit to the pool. He claimed they returned to their hotel room that evening, sharing a pleasant time together, before he left for Accra at midnight to attend a morning meeting. A hotel worker, Edward (not his real name), offered a different perspective. He recalled that two tall men accompanied Adusah to room 112, where Charmain was staying, late at night.

A Life in Transition

Charmain’s early years were marked by hardship. Born in Arbroath, a small coastal town in Scotland, she grew up in the 1970s and 80s. Her parents, Linda and Peter, worked as a cleaner and a plumber, respectively. Friends described her as a vibrant socialite, always attracting attention. At 19, she relocated to Glasgow, working in various jobs before settling in Swansea. There, she began studying photojournalism and had a child, Isaac, in 2007. Her struggles with post-natal depression led her to embrace faith, joining the Liberty Church in a new chapter of her life.