Mercy’s family may sue Madonna

LONDON - The family of Madonna’s adopted daughter Mercy James in planning to sue the pop queen after she broke her promise to let them see the girl.

They claim that the singer guaranteed regular contact with Mercy, now five, when she adopted her in June 2009. But they have not seen her since, despite Madonna having made two return visits to Malawi with Mercy.

“Mercys family have met me several times over the past year and they have been very upset. They have a strong recollection of being told that they would be able to see Mercy and have regular contact with her and that when she is an adult she will return to live with them in Malawi,” dailymail.co.uk quoted Emmie Chanika, director of Malawi’s leading civil rights body CILIC, as saying.

“I believe they have a case in law because there appears to have been a verbal contract between them and Madonnas representatives. I have already consulted a lawyer on their behalf. Obviously there could be problems as there is no written agreement, but the lawyer is looking into it.

“I am preparing a letter which will appeal to Madonnas lawyer Alan Chinula to intervene on the familys behalf and ask Madonna to kindly let Mercy meet her family.

“None of us desires an embarrassing and expensive court case which could humiliate or inconvenience Madonna. The best outcome would be a proper agreement to let Mercy meet her family on a regular basic,” Chanika added.

Mercy’s uncle Peter Baneti, a fisherman, says the family is upset with Madonna.

“We heard that Mercy was brought back to Malawi, and we even saw pictures of her in our newspapers but there was no contact with us. We feel cheated, and my elderly mother is very upset. She lost her daughter and now her granddaughter,” he said.

“My brother and I decided we should seek professional advice. We are not rich people, nor very well educated, but we know that Madonnas representatives and the lady at the orphanage promised we would always be in close touch with Mercy,” he added.