A man has denied the murder of 18-year-old Aucklander Christie Marceau after he was ruled fit to stand trial.
Akshay Anand Chand, 19, made a not guilty plea when he appeared in the High Court in Auckland on Wednesday.
Chand had been remanded to the Mason Clinic for a mental health assessment at his previous appearance in April but has now been ruled fit to stand trial, Fairfax reported.
It is alleged Chand killed Ms Marceau in her home on Auckland's North Shore last November.
Suppression orders about other charges Chand faced when Ms Marceau was killed have also been lifted.
His other charges are of kidnapping, sexual assault with the intent to commit sexual violation, and threatening to cause grievous bodily harm.
Chand remains in custody.
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