Madonna denies using star status to speed up adoption as case officer is suspended for asking her for money

The singer also refuted reports that the adoption process had been held up after the child welfare officer assigned to the case was replaced at the last minute.

Madonna and her film director husband Guy Ritchie have been accused by critics of using their high-profile status to circumvent Malawian adoption laws in their bid to adopt toddler David Banda.

Reports in Malawi also suggested that the adoption process suffered a setback when the country's chief welfare officer, Penstone Kilembe, who was due to travel to London to assess the couple's suitability to adopt David permanently, was taken off the case after soliciting money from the singer for the trip.

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Instead Simon Chisale, the country's chief social welfare officer, was reportedly planning to fly to London to carry out the assessment of David's progress.

But in a statement today Madonna's spokeswoman Liz Rosenberg said the adoption was going ahead according to plans set out nearly a year ago.

She said: "The plans to finalise the adoption of Madonna and Guy Ritchie's son David are proceeding as outlined almost a year ago, the day the Malawian Government granted them their 'interim' adoption. "There has been absolutely no interference with Government Officials or use of Madonna's 'celebrity' to speed up this adoption as reported.

"All appropriate legal requirements are being followed, including a home visit."

Ms Rosenberg added: "Madonna and her entire family look forward to being granted the final adoption early next year - 18 months following the original interim adoption order."

Madonna and Ritchie were granted temporary custody of David, then 13 months old, last October after his father placed him in an orphanage following the death of his mother.

The singer began the adoption process after she found David in the orphanage while in Malawi to launch a project to help the country's two million Aids orphans.

She has come under fire for allegedly attempting to bypass normal Malawian adoption rules, an allegation she has strenuously denied.

A second inspection is scheduled for December and a report is expected to be filed before the courts in the Malawian capital Lilongwe by February 2008 when a judge will determine whether the couple are suitable adoptive parents.

The couple's custody order could be revoked if it is found that David was being treated differently from their other children, Lourdes, 10, and Rocco, six, or if the toddler's rights were being violated in any way.