Oprah matron pleads innocent

2008-07-29 14:21

Johannesburg - The trial of a former matron at the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy, Tiny Makopo, resumed in Sebokeng Magistrate's Court on Tuesday.

Wearing a cream skirt suit and a white blouse and sporting short, neatly-combed hair Makopo, 27, listened intently as the State put to her the charges of indecent assault, common assault, soliciting a minor to perform an indecent act and verbal abuse.

She confidently told the court she was not guilty.

The State alleges that Makopo indecently assaulted girls aged 13 and 14 by kissing them with an open mouth, touching their breasts, forcing them to touch her breasts and creeping into their beds and telling them to be lesbians.

She is accused of assaulting a 13-year-old girl by slapping her, pulling her hair, forcing her to sit on a bare floor for 15 minutes and rubbing custard into her hair.

One of the girls was allegedly throttled and told she was so stupid she did not deserve to be at the school.

Whisked away

Makopo arrived at the court in the company of two women and was quickly whisked away when photographers stated taking pictures of her.

Public prosecutor Etienne Venter asked the court to hear the testimony of the six girls in camera because they were scared to testify in public.

The court's windows had been covered with brown paper and the passage outside blocked with cartons to prevent anyone seeing inside while the girls gave evidence.

They were testifying via closed circuit television from a room outside the court, in the presence of a court official who was there to give them moral support, but may not talk to them.

A lawyer representing Oprah Winfrey, Elizabeth Wore, was allowed to remain in the court for the girls' evidence, but Makopo's family was not.

They had applied to be allowed to hear the in camera testimony. Their application was dismissed after being opposed by the State, which argued that some of the girls lived close to them.

Identities not made public

Magistrate Thelma Simpson ordered that the identity of the six girls not be made public as they are minors.

Venter expected that the girls' testimony would continue until Friday.

Their appearance would be followed by that of a 23-year-old woman allegedly assaulted by Makopo. It was not yet known whether her testimony would be held in camera.

- SAPA