Madonna leaves boy despite fast-tracking

Madonna has had to leave her adopted child in Malawi amid rumours she is not following the correct process.

The singer agreed to adopt orphan Davie Banda from the country last week but, while she has flown back to the UK, he had to stay because his passport was not ready in time.

Malawi authorities have given the process the go-ahead, according to the News of the World, and are currently fast-tracking his passport application. It is expected to be ready in days, compared to months for other citizens.

Some children's charities and groups have criticised the star for deciding to take a child out of the country, and others say she is not following the full adoption process.

Madonna and husband Guy will reportedly have to follow a "re-adoption" procedure in English courts. "There are months of local authority checks before a couple can bring a child in from abroad," said a source at Westminster council's Families And Placements Service. "Madonna and Guy totally bypassed that routine."

Meanwhile, it has also been reported that Davie is being protected at a secret location in the country. A source told the Sunday Mirror: "David has gone from having nothing to being probably the richest child in Malawi.

"He's worth a fortune and is seen as a goldmine by potential kidnappers. The longer David is in the country now, the higher the risk of a kidnap."