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Peter Matika, Senior Life Reporter
LOCAL and internationally-based wildlife conservationists have expressed delight in the apparent recent exposure, of local professional hunter and guide, Samuel Nkomo, who has been labelled a fraudster by a South Africa-based wild life conservancy organisation — South African Fight For Rhino (SAFFR).
Sam allegedly defrauded a director of the organisation of thousands of rands and intellectual material, which she said he uses to dupe people to send him money.
Sam has however, since refuted the claims stating that whoever was defrauded should make themselves known.
“Please as I said before, can anyone that has been approached by Samuel Nkomo and Zelma using Southern African Fight for Rhinos, asking for money for our personal use, as said by Alexia, publicly put it on our timelines with the proof of correspondence as well.
“Please, I personally asked to be helped to go to Harare, as I was asked by Alexia, the people who came to rescue me with funds to travel and get to Harare are the following; Annette Price Stuart, Watson Owen Harry, Sandy Wakefield Kent and Carole Marcus.
‘‘In the past other people that have helped me include Gail Downing who bought me an overhead projector,” he said.
SAFFR engaged Sam sometime last year to walk 600 kilometres in a walk that was dubbed — The African Unity Walk for Rhino in South Africa to save the endangered rhino.
However, some wildlife activists remained adamant on the issue claiming that Sam was in a habit of hoodwinking people, particularly those overseas, of money in the pretext that he was working on wildlife projects.
“It was about time that the Press exposed him in as much as he might have his followers, we need to wake up and smell the coffee. Sam is not what he says he is. He asks for funds from different people and unsuspectingly they send him money for projects that never see the light of day,” said one activist who requested anonymity.
Another said that Sam once confronted, would threaten them with unspecified action and would often tell them he was connected to the intelligence department.
“We are concerned with wildlife and not what he claims to be. When he made himself known a few years ago, we thought he is a man who can fight for our wildlife but alas he is not what he portrayed himself to be. Instead he is a fraud and seriously needs to be investigated,” said another activist who requested anonymity, citing that he feared for his life, accusing Sam of threatening them with unspecified action.
Sam needs no introduction in wildlife forums and is perceived as a self-motivated activist who works towards attaining results.
He has had a great impact in conserving wildlife through his 500km rhino walk in 2014 that overwhelmed the world.
His campaign garnered world support that landed him the deal to walk in South Africa.
Sam was walking the talk but somehow seems to have lost the plot, as he was engulfed in controversy.
Sam was also described as a loathing alcoholic, who needed help.
“Sam needs help. He is a serious alcoholic and needs attention. Something is wrong with him. Once confronted he plays the racial card, people need to be made aware of him,” aid an activist.
Defrauded Trombas told Sunday Life that she had since reported Sam to the police, who were working towards extracting him from Zimbabwe to answer for his alleged crimes.
Trombas also said she was surprised at how Sam also failed to produce his passport.
“The fact that he was unable to present me with an ID or a passport, to have it certified by the police, in order to do a contract, according to the law, shows me more and more that he was in fact, trying to get the publicity, to garner donations behind the NPCs back. He has taken R4 390 away from the rhino. It is those people who now must be warned that Samuel Nkomo must not get ANY DONATIONS USING SAFFR! NO MATTER WHAT HE SAYS, HE IS NOT WALKING FOR SAFFR,” she said.
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