"I saw the gun and that's when I knew this is not a friendly meeting," an eyewitness to the 2004 fatal shootings at Pali Golf Course said from the witness stand yesterday in federal court.

Nixon Maumalanga said he "ran for my life" after he saw defendant Ethan "Malu" Motta point a handgun at Tinoimalo "Tino" Sao.

He said he heard Sao say, "Oh s---," just before the gun made a soft popping noise.

Maumalanga said he had driven Sao and three other men he worked with in the illegal gambling business here, Lepo Utu Taliese, Romilius Corpuz Jr. and Kevin "Pancho" Gonsalves, to meet in the golf course parking lot with Motta and Rodney Joseph Jr. on the afternoon of Jan. 7, 2004.

Motta and Joseph are on trial in a federal racketeering case that includes charges that they murdered Taliese and Corpuz and critically wounded Sao.

Maumalanga said he thought the meeting was to discuss expansion of the gambling business, possibly to Maui.

Gonsalves suggested the meeting after seeing Maumalanga, Sao, Taliese and Corpuz at a funeral at Hawaiian Memorial Park.

When the two groups of men emerged from their vehicles, Joseph refused to shake hands with Sao and Taliese, and kept his hands out of sight in his coat pockets, Maumalanga said.

At that point, Maumalanga said, "I told myself, something's not right."

Then he saw Motta point a black handgun at Sao and Maumalanga took off running, he testified.

He looked back and saw Gonsalves running after him with a gun in his hand, Maumalanga said.

At some point, Gonsalves diverted toward the clubhouse and Maumalanga said he heard three loud gunshots from that area.

Taliese came running from the clubhouse and down the fairway, stopping in a grassy area near a tree, Maumalanga said.

"He was telling me that he was shot," Maumalanga said.

Taliese collapsed to the ground and Maumalanga said he held his friend's hand to comfort him.

When police arrived, Taliese told them that Ethan Motta and Rodney Joseph had shot him, according to Maumalanga and earlier testimony in the trial.

"I think those were his last dying words," Maumalanga said yesterday.