Pastor freed over wife’s death

The High Court yesterday granted the bail application filed by lawyers for the United King­dom-based Ghanaian pastor, Eric Isaiah Adusah, accused of killing his British wife.

The court presided over by Justice A.K. Okwabi yesterday, granted the accused bail in the sum of ?200,000 with one surety to be justified.

As part of the bail conditions, Pas­tor Adusah is to report to the police every Wednesday until June 18, 2015, by which time the court would have considered the next line of action.

The lawyers had over the past weeks been seeking freedom for their client from the Accra central Magistrate Court presided over by Ms Marian Affoh - where Pastor Adusah is stand­ing trial for murder - but the judge denied him.

Unsatisfied with the decision of the court, Ms Eva Otchere, from Ghartey & Ghartey, who is the lawyer for the Global Light Revival Ministries pastor, went to the high court to quash the decision of the magistrate court to remand Pastor Adusah further.

He is being tried over the death of his pregnant wife, Ms Charmaine Speirs, 41, which occurred between 18th and 20th March, 2015 at Mac Die Royal Plaza Hotel in Koforidua, East­ern Region.

Fundamental Human rights

Ms Eva Otchere argued that the prosecution had been unable to link the accused to the crime, insisting that refusal of the bail would affect the fundamental human rights of the accused.

Richard Gyambibi, who represent­ed the state, did not oppose the application for bail.

It may be recalled that the A-G at the last sitting had hinted that the state did not have enough evidence to try the man of God.

This follows an autopsy report on the deceased, Ms Speirs, from the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, dated March 31, 2015 and signed by Dr Afua Darkwah Abrahams, which indicated that the pastor's wife died of "acute poising and opiate heroin" overdose.

No Evidence

The A-G in a seven-page advice on the case docket, dated May 3, 2015 and signed by Evelyn D. Keelson; said "...As already stated, even though we find some aspects of his behaviour suspicious, we cannot at this stage have sufficient evidence to hold him liable for the death of the deceased."

It added, "We therefore advise that he is granted bail. He should, however, continue to assist the police in conducting further investigations into the case."