celebrity status to bypass normal adoption rules.
The child, David Banda, left the southern African country with one of Madonna's bodyguards and her personal assistant.
South Africa and likely headed back to that country.
It was unclear if the next destination would be London, where Madonna lives with her filmmaker husband Guy Ritchie.
famous couples and their two children. But the case has angered human rights groups who say the adoption is illegal.
Malawian law bans adoptions by non-residents, but officials are granting an exemption to Madonna, who has confirmed her intention to adopt the child.
"The rich shouldn't get preferential treatment. I am fine with system," said Emmie Chanika, director of the Civil Liberties Committee.
permission to be recognised as involved parties, which would pave adoption.
later in the week," said Justin Dzonzi of the Human Rights Consultative Committee.
take Banda out of the country, he must be returned if an injunction is granted.
"We will proceed with the case. We still lodge an injunction," said Maxwell Matewere, director of Eye of the Child, Malawi's leading child advocacy group, which is among 59 groups trying to block the adoption.
back," he told Reuters.
child from overseas.
"We cannot comment on individual cases," a Westminster City Council spokesman said.
have to process the adoption through Westminster.
to take custody of the child.
The couple, who arrived in Malawi on October 4 on what was described as a humanitarian trip, left last Friday without boy, who did not have a passport.
years, after officials have a chance to monitor how the child relates to his new environment, according to a senior government official.
plight of some 900,000 orphans in this nation of 13 million people, where AIDS has destroyed many families.
help these children, many of whom are infected with HIV. The effort is being spearheaded by her Raising Malawi charity.
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