Madonna was told today that her bid to adopt 3 year old Chifundo James, translated to Mercy James, has been rejected by Malawi High Court Judge Esme Chombo. It seems residency requirement is keeping Madge from taking home Mercy. Prospective adoptive parents are required to spend 18-24 months in Malawi before being able to go forward with an adoption. Obviously, Madonna has not spent that kind of time there. A judge denied the adoption stating several reasons for the
Per BBC:
“I must decline to grant the application for the adoption of the infant. By removing the very safeguard that is supposed to protect our children, the courts by their pronouncements could actually facilitate trafficking of children by some unscrupulous individuals. It is evident that Chifundo James no longer is subject to the conditions of poverty at her place of birth.”
Following five days of hearings, Judge Chombo made her official ruling. According to a witness, the judge said during the ruling that social workers need to look for more than “someone who just flies in and out” when looking for a fitting family. Madonna was not present at the ruling but was later told by her lawyer.
The Material Girl has been in Malawi for nearly a week with her three other children awaiting word on adopting Mercy. Her Malawian lawyer, Alan Chinula, has reportedly been working for the past 18 months to skirt the 18-24 month residency requirements. Madge even threw a party before the ruling on her application was made. Her lawyer says Madonna plans to appeal the decision.
I don’t see Madge giving up so easily. She has homes in New York and London… who’s to say she won’t set up a home in Malawi until her adoption request is finally granted?
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