I was accused of saying something I never said - Should i reply ?

Hi,
I am in a total dilemma about this for the last few months as I really don’t know what to do. A few months ago I met a friend for dinner. We have always been in contact via sms and so we arranged to meet.
After a while, I left the table to use the restroom but left my purse in my coat pocket which was hanging on my seat. After I came back he said his brother had sent him a message and he said he better go. Later on when I went to pay for my taxi fare there was no money in my purse and my gut feeling then was that he may have taken the money out of the purse and then put the purse back in my coat while I was in the restroom. We should have had lots to talk about over dinner that evening but he seemed nervous, distant and not engaged in the conversation. Although I suspect him, I have never accused him of taking it as I am not that type of person. I decided to cut off contact with him. What is strange is that I never heard from him again until weeks later and he never asked was my money found. It was almost as if he wasn’t concerned. I never replied to this message.
Recently I got a message from his friend saying I had accused his friend (the person I went to dinner with) of taking my money. I don’t know why this was said to him,
but I was really annoyed when I saw this as I had never accused him as I haven’t spoken to him since dinner.
My dilemma is whether to reply to this message or not and defend myself, although I have nothing to defend myself against as I never accused him of taking it.
My gut feeling wants me to defend myself but then the other half of me says no, I haven’t done anything wrong and why would I meet him again considering he hardly said much to me over dinner. My brain is in a spin about the whole situation and I just want to know what other people would do ? Would you reply to his friend putting the record straight and saying I never accused anyone or is that what they want me to do ? Thanks.