"Every three or four years they will bring him to visit... I’m delighted he’s been welcomed into that family."

Madonna has been stung by criticism that she has bypassed Malawi law to "buy" a baby by offering two million dollars (£1.1m) to help orphans in the impoverished African nation.

But Mr Banda said Madonna should not worry about the criticisms levelled against her.

"Where were these people (Madonna’s critics) when David and I really needed help?" he said.

"I’d like to tell Madonna she must not worry about what people are saying."

This week, the singer told US chat show host Oprah Winfrey how ill the little boy was with pneumonia when she met him, adding that he had tested negative for HIV despite the fact his mother and three siblings died of Aids.

And she quashed reports that she had taken advice on her adoption bid from Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, who has two adopted children from Cambodia and Ethiopia.

Father manipulated by media - Madonna - Oct 26 2006
Madonna does not believe claims the father of her adopted African son did not understand what he was doing when he agreed to give her the little boy, she said in an TV interview being aired today.

The star told US chat show host Oprah Winfrey the media had manipulated Yohane Banda into saying he thought she was only looking after his 13-month-old son David temporarily.

Mr Banda, who gave the youngster to an orphanage at five weeks because he was unable to care for him when the baby’s mother died shortly after his birth, has said he never understood that his child was being taken "for good".

But Madonna said in the interview, details of which were released on Oprah’s website: "I do not believe that is true. I sat in that room, I looked into that man’s eyes.

"I believe that the press is manipulating this information out of him."

Madonna also revealed how unwell David was with pneumonia when she first met him at the orphanage in Malawi. He had already survived malaria and tuberculosis.

"When I met him, he was extremely ill," the singer said by satellite link from London.

"I was in a state of panic, because I didn’t want to leave him in the orphanage because I knew they didn’t have medication to take care of him.

"He’s still a little bit ill, not completely free of his pneumonia, but he’s much better than he was when we found him."

Madonna defends adoption on Oprah show - Oct 25 2006
Madonna will speak publicly about her adoption controversy for the first time today during a TV interview with Oprah Winfrey.

The pop superstar will defend her decision to take 13-month-old David Banda from Malawi to become part of her family.

She will explain her decision to adopt him - and answer claims from David’s father, peasant farmer Yohane Banda, who said he never meant to give the little boy up for good.

The pre-recorded interview with Oprah will be broadcast this afternoon in the US.

Madonna has been stung by criticism that she has bypassed Malawi law to "buy" a baby by offering 2 million dollars (£1.1m) to help orphans in the impoverished African country.

The adoption saga took a new twist when David’s father said he only agreed to let Madonna take the little boy on the assurance from government officials that Madonna would be a temporary carer.

Mr Banda, 32, said: "I cannot read and write so I relied on what the (government) officials told me, that the papers said Madonna would look after the child the way the orphanage planned to educate him and then he comes back to me.