Former headmistress suing Winfrey

CHICAGO, Oct. 10 (UPI) -- The former headmistress of Oprah Winfrey's girls' school in South Africa filed a defamation lawsuit in Philadelphia against the TV talk show host.

Nomvuyo Mzamane contends that Winfrey falsely suggested in public that Mzamane knew a dorm matron was abusing students and helped cover up the matter, the Chicago Tribune reported Friday.

The lawsuit was filed last week in Common Pleas Court.

The matron pleaded not guilty to charges against her.

"My client was never told of any physical or sexual abuse," Mzamane's attorney, Tim McGowan, told the newspaper. "Had she been, she would have gotten rid of that person in, like, five seconds."

McGowan said that after Mzamane lost her job at Winfrey's school in December 2007, she was unable to find another position in the United States, England or Morocco. She previously served as vice principal at the Germantown Friends Lower School in Philadelphia.

"She tried to get a job in Darfur and was rejected," McGowan said. "You know what's going on in Darfur? They wouldn't even take you there."

Winfrey's representatives declined to comment, telling the Tribune she had not been served with the lawsuit.