Khanyisile Nkosi

Khanyisile Nkosi

A Soweto man who allegedly gunned down Lehlohonolo Mohloai, pictured, son of former boxing champion Morris Mohloai, pleaded not guilty in the Johannesburg high court yesterday.

Alfred Mpho Bob, 38, said he had acted in self-defence.

Bob handed himself over to the police shortly after Mohloai, 28, died in a hail of bullets on July 30 last year. He had been shot once in the forehead, twice in the chest and three times in his back.

Bob said Mohloai had attacked him with what he "perceived" to be a knife.

"I had a licensed firearm and shot the deceased," he said.

Morris Mohloai, his wife Dora and their two children, Maletsielo and Lester, sat quietly in court . Mohloai is a fomer South African super welterweight champion.

Thapelo Setsue, an eyewitness, said Mohloai was hired as a deejay at his birthday party the night he was killed.

He said a woman named Caroline accused Mohloai of stealing a missing cellphone. "An argument ensued and the deceased left for his parental home," Setsue said.

Mohloai later returned to apologise to him for ruining his party. "We were standing at the gate when the accused arrived with other men . As they came past us, I heard him asking: 'Which one is he?'

Setsue said Bob opened fire when Mohloai approached him and fired more shots as he lay on the ground "in a pool of blood".