Madonna adoption case nears conclusion
BLANTYRE, Malawi (AP) - May 13, 2008 Alan Chinula said Madonna's legal team and government
representatives would be in Lilongwe High Court on Thursday.
The pop star and her husband, film director Guy Ritchie, are not
required to be present. Judge Andrew Nyirenda will review two
reports by Malawian officials overseeing the adoption of
two-year-old David Banda.
"We are confident he will grant the Ritchies permanent custody
order," said Chinula.
Chief social welfare officer Simon Chisale wrote two glowing
reports, describing Madonna a "perfect mum" for David, who was
sickly and malnourished when the singing star found him at the Home
of Hope Orphanage. His mother died shortly after childbirth and his
father was too poor to take care of him. He has since been with
Madonna and her family in Britain.
Nyirenda said in court proceedings in October 2006 that he would
automatically revoke the temporary custody order if he was
convinced David was being treated differently from the Ritchies'
other children, Lourdes and Rocco, or that his human rights were
being violated in any way.
Some child's rights groups have criticized the adoption, saying
it would be better to provide more resources so that children can
be cared for in their native countries.
Madonna has set out to prove she is helping to do that. She has
set up a charity called Raising Malawi, and she is funding six more
orphanages outside the capital, Lilongwe, that provide education
and food for about 4,000 children.
She produced a documentary "I Am Because We Are," which shows
poverty and disease devastating the lives of Malawi's children, and
urges people to volunteer to help.