Dubai, Sep 25 (IANS): An Indian man in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been accused of killing his co-worker by repeatedly punching him and then strangling him for not paying the rent collected to the landlord, media reported Thursday.

The worker, identified only as K.F., 31, allegedly attacked his compatriot, J.K., and strangled him in October last year, Gulf News reported.

The Dubai Court of First Instance Wednesday heard K.F. killed J.K. and hid his body between some trees near the Dubai-Al Ain Road here.

K.F., however, denied the charges.

"I did not murder him. I am not the one who committed the crime," K.F. was quoted as saying when he entered a not guilty plea before the court.

According to the charge sheet, prosecutors said the suspect repeatedly punched the victim in the face and when the victim collapsed on the ground he strangled him and left his body hidden between trees.

The defendant said he did not know who killed J.K. but he ran away from the accommodation. "I did not kill him," the defendant said.

Primary interrogations revealed that a number of his colleagues had given J.K. money to pay the rent to the landlord but he did not make the payment.