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Tiny Virginia Makopo, the 28-year-old former dormitory matron at Oprah Winfrey's school for girls in South Africa, pleaded not guilty Tuesday to charges that she indecently assaulted six students and a fellow matron at the academy.
The Associated Press reports that Makopo appeared nervous and sullen at the opening of her trial yesterday morning. Her legal team did not indicate what her defense would be.
Prosecutor Etienne Venter, who described the students as "very scared and very, very emotional," was granted her request that the remainder of the trial be closed to the public. Judge Thelma Simpson is also allowing the students to testify through close-circuit TV so they can avoid the trauma of facing their alleged attacker in court.
Police said the alleged abuse took place over four months at the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls. During Tuesday's hearing, a court official read the 14 charges to Makopo, who said after each one, "I plead not guilty." She looked down and spoke through an interpreter who translated from her Sotho language into English, according to the AP.
Makopo's charges include trying to kiss a 13-year-old with an open mouth, trying to fondle her breasts and getting the child to fondle her breasts. Makopo is accused of getting into the bed of a 14-year-old at night, kissing her and pulling her body closer. She is accused of touching intimate body parts of the girls, but always through clothing.
Makopo allegedly asked at least two of the girls to become lesbians, and one to kiss her as she would a boyfriend. And she allegedly accused one 13-year-old of being a prostitute.
One incident describes her throwing a 14-year-old onto a couch and forcing her to eat custard which she also rubbed into the girl's hair. The most extreme of the assault accusations has her pushing a 13-year-old against a wall and pressing her thumbs against the girl's windpipe.
Makopo is charged with assaulting her fellow 23-year-old fellow dormitory matron, Promise Ngwedi, by pushing and shoving her at the academy.
She faces a minimum sentence of 10 years in jail if found guilty. The trial is expected to last throughout the week.
