New details have emerged today in the Oprah Winfrey school scandal. In addition to Oprah releasing a new statement to Access Hollywood’s Shaun Robinson, Access has uncovered new information about the alleged sexual abuse as well as details about a specialist Oprah is flying in to treat those affected by the alleged incident.
Earlier this week, Tiny Makopo, a 27-year-old former dorm matron at Oprah’s Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa, was arrested on charges of abuse, including indecent acts.
Robinson has learned from Lungelo Dlamini, spokesperson for the South African police’s Child Protection Unit that Makopo’s alleged victims include six girls and one adult.
Robinson also spoke to a parent, Masechaba Hiime (Mah-see-chaba He-nay), who has a daughter and a granddaughter at the Academy, neither of which was abused. The parent claims Makopo’s alleged acts were severe.
Hiime told Robinson that her daughter said that Makopo once tried to get in bed, under the blanket, with the daughter’s roommate. The daughter was not in the room at the time, but said her roommate told her the story. Hiime also told Robinson that her daughter and granddaughter recounted to her another story they heard from the girls at the school. They claim a student walked into her room and saw Makopo lying on top of her roommate, in bed.
Makopo, 27, turned herself in early Friday to the Vereeniging South Africa police station, just 15 miles outside of Oprah’s school. She is currently being held in a police cell and not reachable for comment. An attorney for the former dorm matron could not be reached for comment either.
On Saturday, Oprah Winfrey released a new statement directly to Robinson for Access Hollywood.
“This has been a huge blow but you learn from your mistakes,” she said in her statement. “I would very much like to look Tiny in the eye, like any parent would, and ask why and how could you do this.”
Access has also learned today, that Oprah has a trauma specialist on their way to the campus to treat those affected by the alleged incidents.
Oprah will also address the South African press on the matter, Monday via satellite.
The head of the family violence, sexual offences and child protection unit as well as Superintendent Andre Neethling and CEO of Oprah’s Leadership Academy, John Samuel will also address the media at that time.
The ex-employee is expected in court on Monday to face the multiple charges, which include alleged assault, indecent assault, criminal injury and soliciting underage girls to perform indecent acts.
Makopo was fingerprinted and photographed before being held in a cell.
When the scandal broke, Makopo was immediately put on leave without pay.
Authorities have thanked Oprah for conducting her own private investigation into the matter, which helped expedite the process.
Oprah has since cleaned house at the school in an effort to gain back the trust of the students and the parents. Not just Makopo, but all of the school’s dorm matrons, were relieved of their duties, with the academy’s teachers stepping in to help.
The academy is now heavily guarded, with barbed wire lining the walls. Hoping to avoid future scandal, Oprah has also bought all 152 students their own cell phones, programmed with her personal phone number and she has told them that they can call her anytime — day or night.
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