LILONGWE, Malawi – The pop star Madonna will not be allowed to adopt a second child from Malawi, a four-year-old girl named Mercy James, the African country’s High Court has ruled.
The ruling will please campaigners who say authorities have given the singer special treatment. Malawi’s government, which came under fire after Madonna adopted a 13-month-old Malawian boy, had said on Thursday it would support a second adoption.
Court registrar Ken Manda told reporters that Madonna’s bid to adopt Mercy had been rejected because the star was not a resident of Malawi.
An Aids epidemic in the impoverished southern African state has produced more than one million orphans.
In her ruling, Judge Esimie Chombo warned against celebrity adoptions, saying they could lead to child trafficking.
“Anyone could come to Malawi and quickly arrange for an adoption that might have grave consequences on the very children that the law seeks to protect,” she said.
Madonna’s lawyer Alan Chinula said she would lodge an appeal with the Supreme Court. Her London spokeswoman was not immediately available for comment.
Malawian rights groups, who accused the government of skirting residency laws when Madonna adopted David Banda in 2006, opposed the latest adoption attempt as well.
Malawian information minister Patricia Kaliati said on Thursday that Madonna had helped in the country and was a worthy mother who was supporting more than 25,000 orphans there.
Madonna, accompanied by adopted son David, arrived in Malawi on Sunday ahead of the court examination of her application.
The star, who was divorced last year from British film director Guy Ritchie, is one of the most successful singers of all time, with album sales of more than 200 million. – (Reuters)