Madonna faces legal challenge over girl

Madonna faces legal challenge over girl

Madonna’s controversial attempt to adopt a second Malawian child - she already has one, three-year-old David Banda - looks set to be challenged in the courts. According to the Independent, a collection of almost 90 Malawian civil rights groups met on Tuesday to decide on what legal action they could take to thwart the 50-year-old singer, who wants to adopt a four-year-old girl, Mercy James, who was orphaned when her mother died shortly after her birth.
"We've been in talks with our lawyers and experts about launching an injunction by the end of the week," explains the committee's chairman, Undule Mwakasangubwe. "We want to stop the process until they have looked into the way in which she worked the system. It seems she has bulldozed through the procedures."
The 50-year-old star filed adoption papers for Mercy James in the High Court in Lilongwe, the Malawian capital, this week and is currently touring the impoverished African country with Banda, whom she adopted in 2006, and her 12-year-old natural daughter Lourdes. (Continued below)
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If the planned injunction is served it will mark the latest in a series of obstacles to Madonna's adoption attempts - most recently a temporary ruling to delay any adoption until this Friday. This followed claims that Madonna (pictured) was receiving preferential treatment because of her celebrity and wealth, an accusation denied by her press spokesman Liz Rosenberg.
"The adoption process for Mercy began over a year ago when Madonna met her on one of her visits to Malawi,” says Rosenberg. “The connection was instant and profound. She [Madonna] is not skirting any legal issues in her application to adopt this child and is looking to provide a loving family environment and the best education and health care possible for a child who has been in an orphanage since her birth."
Meanwhile, Angelina Jolie has claimed she wants to adopt an Indian child. The actress - who with her husband Brad Pitt, already has three adopted children - was reportedly asked the Oscars by Azharuddin Mohammed, one of the young stars of Slumdog Millionaire, if she would consider adopting a child from his country. According to the Sun newspaper, Jolie replied: "Well, I'll let you into a little secret, we will soon."
http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/people,2151,madonna-faces-legal-challenge-over-girl,79912