The trial of a former employee accused of abusing children at television talk show host Oprah Winfrey's all-girl academy in South Africa has been postponed until next October. Former dorm matron Tiny Virginia Makopo was arrested last October on 14 charges including assault, indecent assault and soliciting underage girls to perform indecent acts. She is accused of committing the crimes at Winfrey’s Henley-on-Klip Leadership Academy over a period of four months in 2007.The trial opened in Johannesburg last Tuesday, with Makopo entering a not guilty plea to all charges against her. However, on Friday, the judge at Sebokeng Magistrate Court ruled the trial will resume on October 22nd when testimony from the remaining victims will be heard.The delay has come as a blow to the prosecution, who had hoped the trial would be over this summer. State prosecutor Etienne Venter says, "I’m a bit sad. We were hoping to finish all six victims by now… We’re going to try and see if we can finish all six of them in those three days." If found guilty on all 14 charges, Makopo faces a minimum of 10 years in prison. She is currently free on bail.Winfrey co-founded the academy in 2006, and in late 2007 issued a heartfelt apology to the students who allegedly suffered at the hands of school officials.OPRAH WINFREY SCHOOL TRIAL DELAYED
The trial of a former employee accused of abusing children at television talk show host Oprah Winfrey's all-girl academy in South Africa has been postponed until next October. Former dorm matron Tiny Virginia Makopo was arrested last October on 14 charges including assault, indecent assault and soliciting underage girls to perform indecent acts. She is accused of committing the crimes at Winfrey’s Henley-on-Klip Leadership Academy over a period of four months in 2007.The trial opened in Johannesburg last Tuesday, with Makopo entering a not guilty plea to all charges against her. However, on Friday, the judge at Sebokeng Magistrate Court ruled the trial will resume on October 22nd when testimony from the remaining victims will be heard.The delay has come as a blow to the prosecution, who had hoped the trial would be over this summer. State prosecutor Etienne Venter says, "I’m a bit sad. We were hoping to finish all six victims by now… We’re going to try and see if we can finish all six of them in those three days." If found guilty on all 14 charges, Makopo faces a minimum of 10 years in prison. She is currently free on bail.Winfrey co-founded the academy in 2006, and in late 2007 issued a heartfelt apology to the students who allegedly suffered at the hands of school officials.
