The fugitive fell into the long arms of the law as Max bit him on the buttocks and pinned him against a wall until police arrived, despite being shot, a Johannesburg court heard.

"The first thing the gorilla did was rip my jeans and bite me on the buttocks," said the defendant, Mr Mofokeng. "I thought my last hour had come."

South African hero

Max became a hero in South Africa in July 1997 when he helped apprehend the fleeing man.

And even after Mofokeng shot him in the chest with a pistol, Max kept him pinned against the wall.

"Max then dropped me and I fell into the water. (He) ran around and became violent, grabbed me by my right leg, swung me around and threw me against the wall and I became dizzy," Mofokeng told the court.

Police officers helped to pull Mofokeng out of the pen and paramedics treated him before putting him in a police van.

Mofokeng denies charges of robbery, housebreaking and malicious damage to Max.

The gorilla is a household name in the city. He was named newsmaker of the year by the Johannesburg Press Club and fans can buy cuddly toys in his image.