A Saudi Arabian prince appeared in court in London Friday accused of the murder of an aide in a luxury hotel in February, DPA reported.
At the preliminary High Court hearing, Saud Bin Abdulaziz Bin Nasir Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, 33, pleaded not guilty to murdering his assistant, 32-year-old Bandar Abdullah Abdulaziz, on February 15.
He also pleaded not guilty to causing him grievous bodily harm on an earlier occasion, the court heard, according to the Press Association.
Abdulaziz's body was found in a room at the Landmark Hotel, in central London in February, where the prince and his entourage were staying during a four-week trip to London.
The prince, who was aided in the dock by an interpreter, spoke only to enter his pleas. He was remanded in custody to face trial at the Old Bailey Criminal Court on October 4.
His lawyer, Michael Wolkind, said the full trial would "expose a prosecution case which has turned a genuine friendship with the deceased to a false to a false false relationship of master and servant."
Al Saud has been described as a distant relative of a nephew of King Abdullah. The House of Saud has more than 6,000 members, with the most influence wielded by some 200 princes closest to the king.