Madonna begins legal defence in suit by sacked charity project staff members

Madonna has begun a legal defense against the workers at one of her African charity projects, who are suing her on charges of unfair dismissal.

The eight staff members of the failed £9 million worth Raising Malawi Academy for girls have claimed that they were chucked out without proper procedures.

They said they were made to sign an "unfair" termination deal.

However, Madonna, 52, in papers filed to a Malawi court has said: "There is nothing unfair about the termination. It was necessitated by genuine economic reasons," The Sun quoted her as saying.