Well after all the waiting and wonder, an arrest has been made as a result of the abuse allegations at Oprah Winfrey’s South African girl’s school. The dormitory matron was arrested on charges of sexual and physical abuse, Crimen injuria (which is the crime of injuring another person’s dignity, and encompasses racial abuse and sexual offenses against children), and soliciting the girls to perform sexual acts. How in the world someone this terrible got through the screening process and was allowed to be around these girls is beyond me.

South African police have arrested a former dormitory employee at Oprah Winfrey’s leadership academy for girls on charges of abuse, including indecent acts. At least seven alleged victims have submitted statements about the woman, police said. “A former dormitory employee (27 years old) has been arrested yesterday by the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit on several charges of abuse,” a statement from police spokesman Superintendent Lungelo Dlamini read. “Several charges including alleged assault, indecent assault, crimen injuria and soliciting girls under age to perform indecent acts are being investigated against her. At least seven victims have already submitted statements.”

The suspect is being held by police and is expected to appear before a magistrate on Monday. “She has been charged by the police,” Dlamini told Reuters. The U.S. billionaire television magnate praised the police’s swift action after local media reports of abuse allegations at her school surfaced late last month. “I am grateful for their compassion and sensitivity to the girls during this difficult time. It means the world to me,” Winfrey said in a statement. It is my deepest hope that the accused is brought to justice and that this serves as a reminder that any time a child has the courage to step forward, it is our duty as adults to listen and take immediate action.”

[From the Associated Press]

Oprah also gave each of the girls a cell phone and her private number, with instructions that they are to call her with any worries or concerns. Something tells me it’s probably a number she had set up exclusively for the girls and not her home number, as I can imagine that would get on the internet in short order. Either way, she really handled this well. Several articles have said that – everything considered – the parents are very pleased with the way Oprah has stepped up, flown to South Africa several times, and gone out of her way to communicate with the girls’ parents directly. Celebitchy is going to be piiiiiiiiised, but I love Oprah even more now. Don’t tell.

Picture note by Jaybird: Here’s Oprah at the 2007 CFDA Fashion Awards on June 4th. Images thanks to PR Photos.