Child protection groups call Madonna bully over adoption

MADONNA has been pictured with her new adopted daughter Mercy for the first time, as fresh controversy brews over cash.

First photos of Madonna's second child adoptee Mercy James have emerged, as more than $3m raised for Malawi through the star's charity have reportedly gone missing.

The Sun newspaper reports Madonna was pictured with Mercy for the first time yesterday, as authorities began finalising the adoption arrangements.

Four-year-old Mercy held the hand of new sister Lourdes, 12, as she enjoyed her first family outing.

They were surrounded by a posse of minders, but Mercy — wearing a blue dress — was seen laughing and smiling as she joined her new family. See the pictures here.

The judge will give an official ruling on Friday — but Madonna, 50, has already been told that her application will succeed.

The good news for the singer comes as she has become embroiled in another controversy involving more than $3 million raised for Malawai through a charity event run by The Gucci Foundation and from Madonna’s Kabbalah-backed Raising Malawi, on February 6, 2008.

Some child advocacy groups say the 50-year-old pop star's plans to adopt a young Malawian girl have been fast-tracked because of Madonna's money and status. One accused her of acting like a rich "bully".

Together with three-year-old David, whose adoption from Malawi was finalised last year, Lourdes, 12, and Rocco, 8, the singer walked around the Mphandula childcare centre, about 50km from Lilongwe.

The centre provides primary schooling and child care to about 4000 children. This was the first time the star had seen the centre completed. On her previous visit in 2007, construction had just started.

Meanwhile, a coalition of non-governmental organisations criticised the star's latest adoption application, which has been adjourned until Friday.

"We feel Madonna is behaving like a bully," said Undule Mwakasungula, chairman of the Human Rights Consultative Committee. "She has the money and the status to use her profile to manipulate, to fast-track the process."

Madonna's three-year-old adopted son David - who has been living with Madonna since 2006 - was reunited with his dad Yohane Banda in Malawi yesterday and asked: "Who are you?"

Yohane was also left shocked after learning they would need an interpreter to communicate because David has forgotten his native tongue.

He said: "He asked me in English who I was and what I do. When I told him, 'I am your daddy,' he looked surprised.

"We spent three hours together. He played with my nose and although he did not know who I was he asked me lots of questions.

"David is quite chatty and intelligent. He asked whether I ride horses but I told him horses are for the rich. He asked me why I am poor."

Yohane - who put David in an orphanage when his mother died shortly after childbirth - misses his son but is glad Madonna adopted him.

He said: "I sometimes shudder to think what would have happened to David if Madonna had not rescued him. I am really grateful to her for saving him from a possible early death.

"It's amazing how David has grown. I can't believe he is the same small and sickly baby."