Ace comedian and actor, Bob Santo, also known as John Evans Bosompi, is dead. He died at the West End Clinic in Kumasi, at about 3 am on Thursday, reports said. He was 67.

Abaawa Mary, wife of the late Santo, said that her husband was hospitalised for about five weeks at the clinic. "Abusuapanin Judas," the closet friend and partner of Santo, said that Santo's illness started showing in Sweden while they were on a tour of Denmark, Belgium and Holland among other European countries. He said in Holland, Santo was treated at a hospital before returning to Ghana.

The late Bob Santo became a household name because of his performances in many live concert shows throughout the country. He featured in the popular "key Soap Concert Party" on GTV, with his 'Omintiminim' drama troupe. Aside this, he also acted in many Ghanaian movies and Ghanaian-Nigerian co-productions.

They include 'Sika Sunsum', ‘Double Sense', 'Hard times’ and ‘Banker-to-Banker'. Santo recorded a lot of popular jingles for Peace FM and did some TV advertisement, the most recent being the popular ad promoting a brand of mosquito coil.

Santo's death was received with shock by many residents of Accra, who re-echoed his "Have you heard the news," jingle.

Some described his death as a big loss to the showbiz industry. Santo, who left behind a wife and many children, is the uncle of the Finance Minister, Mr Yaw Osafo-Maafo.