In Review

04 December 2008 04:52 BST

Ex-matron at Oprah school pleads not guilty to child abuse

A former matron at Oprah Winfrey's school for underprivileged children in South Africa has pleaded not guilty to charges of child abuse.

Virginia Mokgobo was arrested last year after allegations of assault, indecent assault and soliciting under-age girls to perform indecent acts at the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy near Johannesburg.

Police claim six teenage students and a fellow dormitory matron at the academy were abused a number of times over a four-month period.

The students are to give evidence in private, as they are "very scared and very, very emotional," according to prosecutor Etienne Venter.

Appearing at Sebokeng magistrate court on Tuesday, Mokgobo, 28, pleaded not guilty to each of the 14 charges levelled against her.

The allegations include attempting to kiss and grope a 13-year-old student, touching intimate body parts of the girls through their clothing and accusing one student of being a prostitute.

She is also charged with pushing a 13-year-old girl against a wall and pushing her thumb against her windpipe, as well as assaulting her fellow dormitory matron Promise Ngwedi.

A minimum sentence of ten years in jail awaits Mokgobo if she is found guilty of indecent acts.

Winfrey opened the school in January 2007, having made the promise to build the centre six years ago while visiting the country's former president Nelson Mandela.

More than 150 girls from families on a limited income attended the academy, in the town of Henley-on-Klip south of Johannesburg, with the US chat show host personally interviewing several.