Last week, 13-month-old David Banda was living in an orphanage in poverty-stricken Malawi. He was whisked through Heathrow airport by the singer's aides, his head covered, as photographers sought to get a glimpse of the youngster after he arrived on an overnight flight from Johannesburg. The child arrived in the UK accompanied by a nanny, a bodyguard and other aides, who avoided waiting reporters at Heathrow's Terminal 1 arrivals hall and left by another exit.
David was flown out of the African country on Monday after the couple were granted an interim adoption order and the baby was issued with a passport and visa. The child was put on a private jet from Malawi to South Africa after a Malawian court issued the travel documents. Madonna and Ritchie, who returned to Britain ahead of David after their high-profile visit last week, had earlier been granted temporary custody of the child for 18 months, the singer's spokeswoman confirmed.
Liz Rosenberg said on Monday night: "It is expected that the family will be reunited within the next few days. The interim adoption grants David's new parents temporary custody for 18 months, during which time they will be evaluated by the courts of Malawi per the tribal customs of the country." Madonna left Malawi on Friday following a week-long visit to orphanages there.
On the same day human rights groups in the country filed court documents asking a judge to review the adoption amid claims it had been fast-tracked because of her celebrity. An immigration official at Malawi's Lilongwe Airport said David had been issued with a US visa and left the country accompanied by two Britons and two Americans. One of the Americans listed her occupation as a nanny.
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