Chief Justice Lovemore Munro told the court he was adjourning the case to a later date, after hearing submissions from Madonna's lawyer and a rights group opposing the adoption.

The date of the verdict will be communicated later, said Munro, who chaired the three-judge appeal court.

Madonna's lawyer Alan Chinula sought to convince the court that a lower court judge was wrong to deny her application last month to adopt three-year-old Chifundo 'Mercy' James.

Last month, Lilongwe high court judge Esmie Chombo threw out Madonna's adoption application, warning that the case could open the door to trafficking in children. -- AFP