Chibueze Chukwurah and Maxwell Uguanya allegedly attacked the man outside the Alpha Lounge.
Two former Aberdeen Uni students have denied murdering a stranger outside a nightclub in London.
Chibueze Chukwurah, 34, and Maxwell Uguanya, 33, also pleaded not guilty to the manslaughter of Taiwo Ekerin after allegedly attacking him outside the Alpha Lounge venue in Lewisham, south-east London, on May 24.
The court heard the pair met one another while they were master’s students at the University of Aberdeen.
Prosecutor Frederick Hookway called the alleged offending “serious impromptu violence which resulted in the death of another”.
Mr Ekerin tragically died in hospital on May 30 and James Manning, defending Chukwurah, told Southwark Crown Court on Friday: “The cause of death isn’t totally clear yet”.
Nigerian national Chukwurah, of Royston Road in Glasgow, worked two jobs including as an agency cleaner after leaving Aberdeen and has been living in the UK on a graduate visa, his defence said.
He travelled to London from Scotland, where he lives and has family, to visit Uguanya, of Enfield, north London, the court heard.
The two men were in the same nightclub as the alleged victim “and his crew” but there was “no particular interaction” between the groups until they left the club at about 4am, the prosecution said.
A dispute allegedly broke out and Chukwurah is accused of striking Mr Ekerin in the head with a punch, causing him to “fall back on the ground”.
“Indeed the defendant never got back up”, Mr Hookway added.
His co-defendant allegedly “then got on top of him” and dealt further blows.
Chukwurah also kicked him whilst he was on the ground, the prosecution claimed.
Mr Manning said “this offence was unplanned and impromptu” and there is no connection between the defendants and the alleged victim.
They are in custody and due to stand trial on February 1 next year.
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