Madonna Gets a Visit from Malawi

Madonna has been entertaining a gentleman caller.

Malawian social worker Simon Chisale was observed leaving the singer's London home Wednesday, presumably after taking stock of Madonna and Guy Ritchie's potential to become the adoptive parents of 22-month-old David Banda.

He declined to discuss his experience and tried to hide his face from reporters as he left the home.

Chisale was put on Madonna duty after Penstone Kilembe, the court-ordered social worker originally assigned to the case, was removed amid accusations that he had "personalized the whole issue" by hitting the pop star up for a plane ticket and cash.

As of Monday, Kilembe had yet to get the memo that his services were no longer needed.

"I am not aware of these developments," he told reporters.

Meanwhile, Madonna renewed her denials that she had used her fame in a bid to skirt some of the logistics of the adoption process.

"There has been absolutely no interference with government officials or use of Madonna's celebrity to speed up this adoption as reported," spokeswoman Liz Rosenberg told the Associated Press. "The plans to finalize the adoption of Madonna and Guy Ritchie's son David are proceeding as outlined almost a year ago.

To that end, Chisale arrived in the U.K. on Tuesday to begin his observation of the Ritchie clan.

He's expected to make a second visit to assess the couple's fitness as parents in December, after which he'll file a report to Malawi's High Court outlining his recommendation on whether David's adoption should be finalized.

The decision is expected to be made official in February 2008.

The Ritchies have had temporary custody of David since they took him out of an orphanage in October 2006, when he was 13 months old.

"After learning that there were over one million orphans in Malawi, it was my wish to open up our home and help one child escape an extreme life of hardship, poverty and in many cases, death, as well as expand our family," Madonna wrote in an open letter at the time.