The first annual Miss Plus Africa Botswana, a pageant that aims to showcase the beauty of curvaceous women is headed for a downward spiral before it could even start.
The show is marred by allegations of fraud following a report to the police that the organizer, Samantha Kebadiretse has defrauded contestants.
A disgruntled contestant, Rolang Kamodi told Voice Entertainment in an interview that she and others have been ‘scammed’ by Kebadiretse.
Kamodi alleged that contestants have been duped into paying bills that should have been paid by the organisers with the hope that they would be refunded only to be told that they won’t.
“We only realised late that we were being scammed and we were paying for things that should be paid for by the organizers. For instance, we were in Francistown recently for boot camp but we paid for everything including transport,” Kamodi explained.
“This pageant is a scam,” she said and went on to reveal that contestants have reported the matter to the police because they wanted their money back.
“Some of the contestants have even pulled out,” Kamodi noted.
The show organizer however vehemently denied allegations of cheating and claimed that she was being targeted in a ploy to wrestle the pageant from her.
“I am being targeted because they want to take over my event. I have been summoned to Gaborone by the police over this matter which is being championed by someone who was supposed to be my best friend,” Kebadiretse said.
Admitting that it has been rough and funds short, the Miss Plus Size pageant organizer said she that she had failed to secure a sponsor for the show hence her request for the contestants to foot their own bills.
“They have even confiscated my phone. I have been receiving death threats from them and all I want is for the nightmare to be over. I would never scam anyone,” she explained further adding that all the allegations against her were baseless and she was not afraid to face the police to explain her side of the story.
Miss Plus Africa Botswana is expected to be hosted in Palapye on November 21st. VVIP tickets are going for P 750.