Police are investigating a case of theft and fraud against veteran Cape Town wildlife campaigner Nan Rice. Rice, chairwoman of the Dolphin Action and Protection Group, is accused of misappropriating funds bequeathed to her organisation by a wealthy philanthropist who died nine years ago and left R1.5-million for dolphin conservation.Former trustees of the group, who claim they were axed by Rice, 85, when they raised concerns about finances, claim the money has been used to benefit Rice and her office assistant.They claim the bequest from animal lover and conservationist Kate Sanderson specifically precluded office and salary expenditure.The standoff began last year between herself and a group of her former trustees, among them political commentator Robert Schrire, University of Cape Town emeritus professor of political studies.Rice reportedly told her committee she needed funds to survive since she had no medical aid and no pension, and had not had a holiday away from home for 40 years.Documents seen by The Times reveal that Rice proposed that the committee consider using interest from the group's fixed deposit as a pension for herself.The former trustees confirmed they had laid a charge last week. Fish Hoek police said they were investigating the alleged theft and fraud. Rice declined to comment.Schrire and the former trustees jointly said a police investigation was the only way to obtain details about the group's finances, which Rice had refused to disclose despite threats of legal action."It is clear from all the information we have from our years on the committee that the only significant asset/income of the group derives from the bequest," former trustee David Hurwitz and Schrire said on behalf of the former trustees. "Given the high cost of salaries, office expenses like house repairs, garden maintenance, etc, these costs could only be recouped from the bequest income. Legal advice indicates that this constitutes theft.Rice had "simply ignored all requests for details of the (Sanderson) bequest expenditures. The trustee of Sanderson's estate also made a request, which was also ignored"...