In Tanzania, there are scores of hunters who never received their trophies from Zahir Mulla of Usangu Safaris. Continuing subscribers know we have been following the problems with Usangu over the last few years. During the 2007 safari season, we received a rash of complaints from hunters - some on their SAT phone while still in the field - about the way their hunts were being conducted. Others sent written complaints about delays with trophy shipments and problems with refunds for trophies that were never shot. Eventually, the problems were so bad and the complaints abundant enough that Safari Club International sanctioned Zahir Mulla and banned him and anyone else associated with Usangu Safaris from the convention or other SCI events and programs. That ban extended to Abdul Mulla, Zahir's brother, who had left the company due to a familial dispute. Abdul Mulla had gone on his own, creating the company Francolin Safaris. Usangu Safaris stopped operating last year when its Usangu Flats concession, the only concession it had left, was absorbed into a national park. In the meantime, Abdul Mulla has been struggling to disassociate himself from Usangu and his brother's problems.
This rather long re-mention of Usangu Safari's woes, is a roundabout way of telling you that all those trophies from past Usangu clients finally are to be released. According to Abdul Mulla, he has negotiated a deal with the Tanzanian government to unite those trophies with the hunters who shot them. To do that, he says he is personally ponying up the money to pay for the trophy fees his brother never paid. Why is he willing to do this? Because he wants to clear his name of the fiasco and get back into SCI's good graces and of course the annual convention.
In order to get the trophies released, Abdul will need copies of paid invoices showing hunting dates and trophies taken from hunters who never received their trophies. Any copies of hunting licenses would be helpful too. I am collecting this information and passing it to Abdul's representative in the US, who is coordinating with........(continued)
