FRIENDS of Grace Rwaramba, the former nanny of Michael Jackson’s three children yesterday ruled out her involvement in the custody battle for the children.

Mallika Chopra, claiming to be a close friend, said Rwaramba just wanted the children to be happy and safe.

The international pop singer died suddenly on Thursday at his home in Los Angeles hours after a vigorous rehearsal in preparation for a performance in London this month.

Concert organisers said the tickets for the 50 planned concerts were the fastest-selling tickets in London ever.

Mallika, the daughter of Deepak Chopra, a one-time personal doctor of Jackson, quoted Rwaramba on her website www.intent.com yesterday saying she would be there to care for the children if needed.

“Grace firmly hopes the Jackson family gets custody of the children,” he said.

The children, Prince Michael Joseph Jackson Junior, 12, Paris Michael Katherine Jackson, 11, and Prince Michael Jackson II (Blanket) aged seven, live at the Jackson family compound in Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley.

The 42-year-old Rwaramba, born in Bushenyi district, has been nanny to the children for 12 years.

She worked as Jackson’s secretary for five years until 1999 when the first child was born.

Close sources said she had an increasingly central role in the youngsters’ lives who called her “Mom”.

A court in Los Angeles has awarded temporary custody of the children to Jackson’s mother, Katherine.

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