The accused . . . . . . that he had met the deceased before.

The correct answer is D. denied.

The other options are not correct because they do not convey the same meaning as “denied.”

• Remarked means “to say something that is interesting or worth thinking about.”
• Refused means “to say that you will not do something.”
• Exclaimed means “to say something suddenly and loudly, usually because you are surprised or excited.”

In this case, the accused is denying that he had met the deceased before. This is a serious accusation, and the accused is likely to deny it in order to protect himself.