'We won't let Madonna adopt'

2007-04-16 15:43

Mchinji - The head of a Malawian orphanage refuted reports on Monday that Madonna was to adopt a young girl from her children's home as the US pop diva flew into the southeast African country.

British newspaper The Sun reported that the London-based singer wanted to adopt a three-year-old girl called Grace from the Consol Home as a sister to one-year-old David whom she was given custody of last year.

However Yacinta Chapomba, founder of the Consol Home near the capital Lilongwe, flatly denied the possibility that Madonna would adopt a second child from Malawi from her orphanage.

"We have no Grace here. We don't know how the rumour started, but our day care centres don't encourage adoption. We never allow any of our children to be adopted," she told AFP.

"Probably the rumour started about Grace because of our partnership with Madonna after she funded the construction of this centre."

Madonna's spokesperson has also denied that the singer is planning to adopt another child.

'Absolutely not adopting another baby'

"Madonna is going to Africa to continue her work with the Raising Malawi organisation," the star's spokesperson Liz Rosenberg said.

"She is overseeing the building of a children's healthcare centre. She is absolutely not adopting another baby."

Madonna's Malawian attorney Alan Chinula said he was not in the loop about any plans to adopt a Malawian girl.

"I have not been given any instructions. I don't know anything."

The singer arrived in Malawi on Monday morning with David and was whisked away to an exclusive lodge where she will be staying.

Consol Home, in Maphundla around 50 kilometres from the capital Lilongwe, looks after more than 8 000 orphans in scores of villages in the area.

Madonna's son David was expected to meet his biological father during the three-day visit.

- AFP