Liam Payne’s friend Rogelio “Roger” Nores has issued a statement denying his relationship with the former One Direction member. fatal fall from an upstairs balcony at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires on October 16.

“I never abandoned Liam. I went to his hotel three times that day and left 40 minutes before this happened,” Nores – an Argentinian businessman who befriended Payne in 2020 – said the Daily Mail Thursday.

“There were over 15 people in the hotel lobby talking and joking with him when I left.”

Nores – who “could never have imagined that something like this would happen” – pointed out that he gave his “statement to the prosecutor on October 17 as a witness”.

He insisted that he “hasn’t spoken to any police officer or prosecutor” since then.

Nores, 35, went on to note that he “wasn’t Liam’s manager,” calling the late singer his “very dear friend” who he “missed … every day.”

“I am truly devastated by this tragedy,” Nores added, urging the media to “refer to the email (he) sent to Liam and his team on August 23” which was to alert them of his “concerns.” with Payne’s “welfare.”

An eyewitness told the Daily Mail that Payne was on a “bend” before he fell from his room’s balcony, and that Nores even apologized to hotel guests for his behaviour, which was described by viewers as “erratic”.

The National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor’s Office announced on Wednesday that Payne’s friend, who was identified as an Argentinian business friend, a hotel employee and an alleged drug dealer were charged about his death.

The friend – who identified himself as Payne’s manager – was charged with human abandonment resulting in death for failing to inform the musician’s family that he had relapsed.

When Payne plunged to his death – probably in a “state of semi- or total consciousness” — The police allegedly tried to contact the friend through a mobile phone number provided by the hotel managers, but he did not answer.

The friend later testified as a witness, leading a judge to rule that he breached his duty of care to Payne.

If convicted, the friend faces five to 15 years in prison.

Meanwhile, the hotel employee and alleged drug dealer were accused of supplying Payne with narcotics.

However, sources familiar with Argentina’s judicial system explained to the Daily Mail that the three people had not been formally charged; rather, they were arrested and placed under official suspicion.

A toxicology report revealed Payne he had multiple drugs in his system when he died, inclusive pink cocainewhich is usually composed of ecstasy, ketamine, caffeine and a psychedelic used to treat sexual dysfunction known as 2-CB or Tusi.

Investigative photos took from the trash room of the troubled star also showed Clonazepam, a benzodiazepine drug used to treat panic disorder and epilepsy, and drug paraphernalia strewn across the table.

However, Payne’s the cause of death at the age of 31 was attributed to multiple trauma from the impact of the fall resulting in internal and external bleeding.