Accused Oprah school abuser in court
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (AP) - January 16, 2008 Tiny Virginia Makopo, 27, faces charges of indecent assault,
assault and criminal injury, allegedly committed against six
students ages 13 to 15 and a 23-year-old fellow dormitory matron.
Makopo appeared in court with a towel over her head. She did not
speak during her brief court appearance.
Police said there were at least three serious cases of indecent
assault, and that the alleged abuse took place over four months at
the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls, which opened last
January.
Before the allegations, Winfrey said she told the pupils she was
the "momma bear" who would protect them.
The 53-year-old talk-show host has spoken in the past of being
raped by a distant cousin at 9 and then abused by three other men,
trusted family friends. She has campaigned for laws in the United
States to protect children from abusers.
