Madonna’s adoption ruling Fri

Madonna’s adoption ruling Fri
BY DEBORAH NYANGULU-CHIPOFYA
17:22:28 - 31 March 2009

Judge Esmie Chombo reserved her ruling until Friday in a case in which US pop singer Madonna is trying to adopt another Malawian child, four-year-old Mercy James.

Dressed in black, Madonna arrived at the High Court in Lilongwe Monday morning and presented her adoption application but she will have to wait until Friday to know the outcome of the application.

The case, as is always with all adoption matters, was heard in camera.

But speaking to the press after the session, Assistant High Court Registrar Thomson Ligowe said the case had gone well and there were no hitches.

“The judge now needs time to come up with her ruling. This is the normal procedure,” said Ligowe.

Ligowe could, however, not say if the girl’s extended family was present when Madonna filed the adoption papers.

He said at this stage, it was mainly the parties that were applying for the adoption that had to be present.

Madonna was also present at the court with her lawyer Alan Chinula, who also handled the David Banda adoption.

Ligowe said if the ruling was in Madonna’s favour then it was obvious that she would be able to take the child away.

If all goes well, Mercy would be a second child that Madonna adopts in Malawi.

Last year, Madonna adopted David from Mchinji Home of Hope Orphanage but the adoption was marred by controversy as she was accused of using her fame to sidestep adoption laws of the country.

This time around, it seems Madonna would still have to battle with more controversy as organisations are urging her to rethink the adoption.

The Madonna adoption saga has drawn a lot of international attention and for a country that rarely makes international headlines, Malawi is now making the list of top stories on channels like BBC and Sky News.

Reports indicate that Mercy’s mother, a teen mom, died a few months after the baby was born.

The girl’s father is believed to be alive but nobody knows his whereabouts. His first name is James, a name which Mercy inherited.

Mercy has grown up at Kondanani Orphanage in Bvumbwe