madonnaMadonna is reportedly livid after her request to adopt a second children from Malawi was turned down.

The singer had been assured by government and legal sources that the adoption of four year old Mercy James was pretty much a sure thing despite the controversy around the proceedings. Children’s and human rights campaigners in the country had protested the adoption because Madonna had not fulfilled the standard residency requirements for international adoption from the country - residency for between 18-24 months.

The star, who attracted similar controversy when she adopted son David from the country in 2006, was not in court this morning to her the judge’s verdict - which was just expected to be simply signing off the adoption. However, the judge overseeing the case instead decided to turn down the request on the basis that Madonna hadn’t been in the country for long enough.

In the ruling, the judge explained: “The petitioner jetted into the country just days after making the application [for adoption]. The last time that the Petitioner was in the country was in 2008 at the time of the final adoption order for David Banda.

“In my considered opinion this would completely remove the Petitioner from the definition of a resident as defined by the Oxford English Dictionary.”

The ruling went on to say: “Put simply courts do make law by the process of precedence and Miss Madonna may not be the only international person interested in adopting the so-called poor children of Malawi.

“By removing the very safeguard that is supposed to protect our children the courts by their pronouncements could actively facilitate trafficking of children by some unscrupulous individuals who would take advantage of the weakness of the law of the land.

“Anyone could come to Malawi and quickly arrange an adoption that might have grave consequences on the very children that the law seeks to protect.

“Having considered this then, at the end of the day I must decline to grant the application for the adoption of the infant.”

Madonna’s legal team is expected to launch an appeal.