Pop superstar Madonna says she is not planning to expand her family.
The singer is denying reports she has applied to adopt two more children from Malawi.
“I am in Malawi to check on the children’s hospital in Blantyre and my other work with Raising Malawi and then heading home,” a spokesperson on behalf of Madonna told CNN in a statement. “The rumors of an adoption process are untrue.”
However, Malawi’s judiciary spokesperson, Mlenga Mvula, told CNN the country’s high court heard a request from Madonna to adopt two children on Wednesday and will rule on the matter in three weeks.
Madonna is mother to two Malawian children: son David Banda,11, who she adopted in 2006 and daughter Mercy James,11, who she adopted in 2009.
She also has two other children, daughter Lourdes,20, and son Rocco, 16, whom she gave birth to.
Rocco was the recent subject of a custody battle between Madonna and his father, the singer’s ex-husband director Guy Ritchie.
The case was settled in September 2016 after it was decided the teen would continue to live with his father in London.
The star has strong ties to the southern African nation — home to her charity Raising Malawi, which seeks to help orphans and children left vulnerable because of poverty.
Madonna’s relationship with the country has not been without controversy.
There have been questions about the effectiveness of her charity. In 2012, government officials complained she was not forthcoming with them about scrapped plans for a girls academy due to the alleged mismanagement of funds.
A year later, then president Joyce Banda struck out at the star in a statement.
“It must be noted that the President, Her Excellency Dr. Joyce Banda and her Government are ready to welcome any philanthropist seeking to assist in improving the welfare of the people of Malawi knowing that Her Excellency, herself, is a known philanthropist,” the statement said. “However, acts of kindness must always remain as such; they must not smack of blackmail. In addition, let philanthropists not hold to ransom the President and any official of her Government because they showed some kindness to any Malawian.”
Current president Peter Mutharika is reportedly on better terms with Madonna.
CNN’s Cheri Mossburg contributed to this report
