A Tauranga man has denied murdering a man who died after he was dropped off at Tauranga Hospital last month.

Colin Richard Jeffries-Smith, 27, appeared in the High Court at Rotorua on Wednesday where he entered the not guilty plea.

He has been accused of killing 58-year-old Lance Wayne Waite with a firearm. Mr Waite was dropped off at Tauranga Hospital on January 3 with critical injuries and died a short time after.

Jeffries-Smith was remanded in custody and his case will be reviewed in April.