LILONGWE, Malawi (CNN) -- An attorney for pop star Madonna said a Malawi judge postponed until November 13 a hearing into an attempt by dozens of human rights groups to challenge the singer's adoption of a boy from the African country.
The judge delayed the hearing for 17 days because other attorneys in the case were not prepared on Friday, according to Madonna's Malawian lawyer Alan Chinula.
Malawi's High Court granted Madonna and her husband, film director Guy Ritchie, an interim adoption order on Oct.
12.
Meanwhile, 67 human rights groups have sued the government, arguing that Malawi's laws forbid international adoptions unless the prospective parents have lived in the country for 18 months.
It's not like we are blocking the adoption, but we want laws followed to the letter, said Justin Dzonzi of the Center for Human Rights and Rehabilitation, according to The Associated Press.
Dzonzi told AP that his coalition was worried about the child's inheritance rights and was concerned that the child would suffer if the celebrity couple went through a divorce played out in the media.
We want these issues clarified, Dzonzi told AP.
Meanwhile, Chinula remains optimistic.
There is no chance that Madonna will lose that child, he said. We are confident we will win the case.
The man whose son Madonna is trying to adopt said Thursday that he was prodded to say things I didn't mean about the controversial case and that he backs the pop superstar's right to adopt his boy.
Yohane Banda told CNN that he never should have said that he thought the celebrity couple only were going to have temporary care of 13-month David Banda.
I was forced to say things I didn't mean, he told CNN. The agreement with Madonna in court was correct, but after the agreement some people from NGOs (non-governmental organizations) and civil society organizations came to me asking me questions and forcing me to answer contrary to what I had agreed with Madonna.
If Madonna gives David back, he will end up like his siblings -- dead -- Banda said.
Madonna, whatever is happening, maybe it's because you are famous, that's why all this is happening, Banda said. Please be strong and don't give up the fight.
My David will be a good son to you.
Madonna told Oprah Winfrey this week that her celebrity status did not work to her advantage.
I assure you, it doesn't matter who you are or how much money you have, nothing goes fast in Africa, Madonna said, according to oprah.
com. There are no adoption laws in Malawi. And I was warned by my social worker that because there were no known laws in Malawi, they were more or less going to have to make them up as we went along.
Banda, an illiterate, 32-year-old vegetable farmer, on Sunday told the media through a translator that he didn't realize that Madonna and Ritchie would have custody forever.
But Banda has since said he favors the adoption, and his reversal has caused a media barrage in this tiny country in southeast Africa.
Banda, who has moved in with a sister to avoid the massive scrutiny, became defensive when CNN asked if Malawi officials forced him to change his story.
No one in the government has forced me to say anything. This is my doing, he said. I gave my son, David, to Madonna with all my heart, and what is happening does not reflect the truth of the matter.
I gave David away and he now belongs to Madonna.
Last week Penson Kilembe, director of the Malawi agency that handles adoptions, told The Christian Science Monitor that adoption would be just.
Child adoption is also a rights issue, and these NGOs do not seem to understand that as a government we have both a moral and ethical obligation to mitigate the plight of children.
Madonna has set a precedent worth emulating, he told the publication.
Banda said he would tell court officials that that what we agreed with Madonna stands.
Banda insisted he hasn't profited from the adoption and he doesn't want any money.
He said he just wants what is best for his son. Banda does hope that his boy grows up to be a healthy and happy.
Banda appeared outside the court on Friday, advising reporters he would tell the judge he supports the adoption.
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