*By Gifty Arthur*

Information reaching The Herald indicates that the family of disgraced billionaire armed robber, George Korsi Buame Kleh, who together with his partner-in-Crime Doku alias Mellow were shot and killed by the police at ‘XL Drinking Spot’ near Nyaho Clinic in Accra two weeks ago, is demanding his corpse for a lavish funeral in Ho, Volta Region.

Family sources who hinted this paper said that Kleh despite claims that he was a hardened criminal, was someone who was very generous and compassionate to all that came his way, and so now that he has been killed, they cannot sit down while their relative is buried anyhow – without a coffin – by the police administration.

The 53-year old man who until his death had been on the police wanted list according to the Police, had been robbing for over 30 years and had frequented jail over robbery.

Family sources said that Kleh, who lived near Kasoa in the Central Region, and was married to a young pretty lady from Saltpong, is said to be a well respected person although he was known by his peers as a ruthless armed robber who had a shrine in his house, which he consulted anytime before going on his nefarious expeditions.

He operated businesses such as block moulding factory, a restaurant, a mechanic shop and was putting up a fuel filling station in Kasoa. From these ventures he made money and was very generous to his family, friends and police officers to an extent that his robbery activities, though widely known, went unreported.

Other reports suggest that Kleh whose late father also had a dirty history with the police prior to his demise in the late 1980s, was living under a curse as he had many things which would make life worthwhile for himself, family and friends, but still could not abandon his stealing habit.

His late father is said to have married three women; all the children from these women had peculiar characteristics. One woman’s children were said to be brilliant academicians but suffer sudden deaths through accidents and other mysterious deaths.

The second lady’s children of which George Korsi Buame Kleh is one are known robbers and thieves according to sources. Indeed, The Herald’s checks revealed that his sister, Benedicta Kleh was a notorious swindler who died in police custody recently with his brother organizing a grand funeral for her.

The third lady’s children are also said to be social misfits. They are alleged to be homosexuals and lesbians. When this paper contacted the Greater Accra Regional Command, the Regional Police Commander, DCOP Rose Bio Atinga, said that the police is yet to hear from the Kleh family for the body which is presently at the Police Hospital Mortuary.

She said family members of such criminals often times make contacts with the police to collect their relatives despite the shame and the disgrace, hence the request from the Kleh family will not be surprising.

DCOP Rose Bio Atinga, disclosed that the police were still investigating the activities of the two because soon after news of their killing were published in the media some victims trooped to her office with materials including video of their activities captured on Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras.

Briefing the media on Saturday, November 19, this year, the Greater Accra Regional Police Commander, said owing to the several reported cases of robbery in the metropolis, the police deployed several strategies to outwit such criminals who had become very skillful at what they did.

She said on Friday the 18th of November, while her men were out for patrol duties at East Legon and Airport Residential areas, they were prompted that there were some armed robbers who were on operation at a drinking spot called ‘XL Drinking Spot’ close to Nyaho Clinic in Accra.

Quickly, she said, the patrol team dashed to the scene, and luckily, they sighted the robbers busy doing what they know best.

On seeing the police, the miscreants according to DCOP Bio Atinga, daringly engaged them in a gun battle with locally manufactured pistols.

The police returned fire, forcing the two robbers to enter their ash-coloured Nissan Maxima private car with registration number GW 4635-09 and sped off.

Unfortunately for the fleeing armed robbers, the driver of their vehicle lost control of the car after he was hit by a bullet from the police and as a result ran into a ditch, destroying the right front of their vehicle.

The two social misfits died of injuries they sustained from gunshots while being transported to the Police Hospital, for treatment.

Preliminary investigations conducted by the police showed Kleh and Doku captured on a number of Closed-Circuit CCTV camera’s at Accra’s busiest street, Osu, and East Legon Engine Filling Station in some robbery activities they had perpetrated earlier at these locations.

Among some of the items that were retrieved from their vehicle were: two locally manufactured pistols, three number plates, three locally made T-square iron implements known as ‘Bazooka’ used in opening any vehicle, three laptops (1 HP and 2 Toshiba)

The rest were one canon vetra sonic camera, XI, IPOD Tourch-64GB and a traveling bag containing toiletries, sponge biscuits and fruit juice and documents.