Madonna has been granted permission to adopt two four-year-old twin girls from Malawi, a court official in Lilongwe confirmed to AFP on Tuesday. The news comes almost a month after the American singer denied that she was involved in any adoption application in Malawi following reports of her appearance at a court in the country. Judicial spokesman Mlenga Mvula told AFP: "I can confirm that Madonna has been granted an adoption order for two children."
The 58-year-old is said to have been present in the courtroom when the High Court made the ruling. It has been reported that Madonna will be able to take the two children, named Esther and Stella, back to the US. The superstar has previously adopted two children from the African country - David Banda in 2006 and Mercy James in 2009. The Like a Prayer singer also has two other children - Lourdes Leon, her 20-year-old daughter from her relationship with Carlos Leon, and Rocco Ritchie, her son from her marriage to director Guy Ritchie.
Madonna adopted David from Malawi in 2006
Last month, Madonna released a statement contradicting the Judicial spokesman, who at the time was quoted to say the singer had applied for permission to adopt. In a statement to HELLO! the Material Girl insisted the reports were untrue. "I am in Malawi to check on the children's hospital in Blantyre and my other work with Raising Malawi, and then heading home," she said. "The rumors of an adoption process are untrue."
See snaps from Madonna's inspirational trip to Malawi with her children
The singer adopted Mercy in 2009
According to local reports, twins Stella and Esther, have been living in the same orphanage where Madonna found her first Malawian child David. They are said to been staying at the Home of Hope in Mchinji for the last two years. Court records reveal the children were born on August 24, 2012.