Bankoe a suburb of Ho, the capital of the Volta Region, went dead on the eve of the New Year (2012) as the funeral and burial of Ghana’s most notorious armed robber George Kosi Buame Kleh alias “Check Check” took place.

On Friday, the eve of the burial, reports said, the chief of the town caused gong gong to be beaten, alerting his subjects that armed robbers could descend on the town ostensibly to attend the funeral and bury their opulent colleague, George Kleh, who was gunned down by the police in a shootout in Accra, near the Nyaho Clinic, in November, last year

This announcement sent shivers down the spines of the people, causing them to leave the streets, on the eve of the New Year, empty. Security was reportedly re-enforced as policemen, believed to have been brought from outside Ho to augment the contingent there, covered every corner of the town, ready to apprehend any miscreant.

George Kleh, 53, whose funeral was expected to be attended by armed robbers from Ghana and outside, given his success at the infamous trade of armed robbery, covering a period of over 30 years, was said to have given Togbe Afede, Paramount Chief of the area, a lot of worry, hence the move to ensure that, that glitz never took place.

When Benedicta Kleh, a younger sister of George, who was also a notorious swindler, died in prison, a lavish and a memorable funeral was held for her where armed robbers – from within Ghana and outside – descended on Ho, in style, to pay their last respect to a colleague in crime.

But George’s funeral turned out to be on the contrary a sole family affair as people even from the town stayed away in order not to tarnish their reputation.

George built a reputation as a very successful armed robber. He owned a lot of properties across the West African sub-region.

In Ghana, he is believed to have properties in the form of flashy cars, petrol and gas filling stations, restaurant, garages, houses, block factories, bakeries, a cement shop and other properties some of which could be found in Dansoman, Kasoa, Gbawe where he lived with his family.

He had three children with a pretty lady from Saltpond in the Central Region. Reports say George’s raid went beyond the borders of Ghana. In the late 70’s and early 80’s, he drove a commuter bus, then known as Agege Bus, between Ghana and Nigeria.

He is said to have on several occasions abandoned his passengers in the bush on the way to Nigeria and robbed them of their money and other valuable belongings.

A family source told The Herald that George, before his death, had joined the internet fraud wagon, and hence had concentrated on breaking into people’s cars for their laptops to facilitate his deals which brought in thousands of dollars and pounds.

Three days before his death, he had broken into one Mr. Paul Agbenu’s car at a hotel and stolen his (Agbenu’s) laptop and other documents.

George and his friend were clearly captured on the CCTV, covering the Hotel, its environs including the parking lot, breaking into the car and making away with their booty.

When he was killed, a laptop was found in his Nissan car, other implements used for breaking into cars of any kind and a locally – manufactured gun, including an amount of money.

A family source told The Herald that George was dabbling in juju and occultism to protect himself and ensure success in his raid.

He is said to have shrines in his Dansoman and Kasoa houses that were manned by a fetish priest.

“He doesn’t see the face of a corpse, but he always purchased the bath water from corpses to fortify himself,” a family source told this paper, adding that “he also never drunk tap water, river water or processed water except rain water in order to elude any curses hurled at him, involving the use of water by his victims.

George, known for his generosity, is said to have very loyal friends in and around Kasoa and Dansoman who would go to any length to defend him.

He was very meticulous in his thievery, The Herald learnt. George had on his payroll a lot of policemen who alerted him anytime the police tried to arrest him. “You’ll be shocked at some of the names”, said the source.

George, who hails from Ho-Bankoe, comes from a large family produced by his father and three women. He was buried alongside his senior half-brother, Francis Kleh who incidentally died from kidney failure at the time George was killed.

Family sources say George and Francis were the bitterest of enemies when they were alive because the later did not approve of the former’s lifestyle.

According to sources, George was a chip of the old block. “The ‘old boy’ was not any different; he had a lot of brushes with the police when he was alive.”

Below is a biography of George read at his funeral.

BIOGRAPHY OF THE LATE GEORGE BUAMI KLEH

The late George Buame Kleh was born on the 6th day of June, 1958 at Ho Bankoe, and lived to the ripe age of 53 years. His parents were the late Henry Kosi Kleh of Ho, and Madam Theresa Kwakwa Gyamera from Akyem Begoro. He was baptized into the Catholic Church at Ho-Bankoe, where his parents belonged. He was the fifth born of the father, but the first child of the mother.

The late George lived with both parents, up to the age of fifteen, and attended Ho-Bankoe Roman Catholic Boys School from class one up to Middle form Two. He could not complete the schooling due to unforeseen circumstances beyond his control.

Despite these odds, he did not forsake his aspirations in life, but took to apprenticeship in fitting and driving. On completion, he associated himself with his late father, who was then a big-time Transport Owner.

The late father, realizing the zeal in George, procured him his own vehicle for “work and pay”. George worked with perseverance and became a Transport Owner himself.

Later, George left Ho for Accra and resided at Gbawe, where he expanded his transport business. He then put up his own building and opened up other business avenues like the sale of provisions, cement, iron rods and the manufacturing of cement blocks.

He also engaged himself in the purchase and sale of cars and established a communication center in his house at Gbawe, which earned him the nick-name “check check” and which became a popular spot in the Gbawe vicinity to date. George met his untimely death on Thursday 18th November, 2011.

He is survived by a wife and four children. George, the family loves you, but God loves you best. May the good Lord shower his blessings on you. Rest in perfect peace. Amen.