20101016
Kenya

Nairobi — Higher Education minister William Ruto has said he will not resign over a Sh96m fraud charge levelled against him in court.

He said there was "nothing new to make him step aside".

"I was elected in 2007 as the Eldoret North MP when the case was in court. I was appointed a minister in 2009 when the case was pending and sworn in under the new Constitution in September, so there is nothing new."

Mr Ruto said he was aware that some people want him out but he maintained that he would not give way.

He termed the case political and pointed that it had been dragging in court for years.

On Friday, a constitutional court ruled that he would face criminal prosecution over a Sh272 million fraud case.

Section 62 of the Anti-corruption and Economic Crimes Act stipulates that "a public officer who is charged with corruption or economic crime shall be suspended at half pay, with effect from the date of the charge."