A judge in Philadelphia has ruled Oprah Winfrey must defend a defamation case filed against her by the former headmistress of the chat show star's girls' school. In 2007, Oprah opened the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy in South Africa after pledging to build the academy following a meeting with Nelson Mandela in 2002. Girls from low-income families were invited to apply for the initial 150 places at the school. However, shortly after opening, sex abuse complaints arose at the school. A former matron was later charged with abusing six students in an episode Oprah later described as one of the most devastating experiences of her life.
The school's headmistress at the time of the controversy, Nomvuho Mzamane, claims Oprah made defamatory remarks about her to the press. While the TV star's legal team argued the remarks simply reflected Oprah opinions, the judge ruled they were potentially defamatory. "They ascribed to conduct which would render her [Mzamane] unfit for her profession as an educator," Judge Eduardo Robreno. A trial has been set for 29 March in Philadelphia.
More celebrity gossip on handbag.com.
