By Johnathan Paoli
Self-proclaimed North West political fixer Brown Mogotsi will remain behind bars for another seven days after the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Monday postponed his criminal case to next week Monday for a formal bail application and verification of his residential address in Mahikeng.
Mogotsi was appearing on schedule five charges linked to an alleged staged assassination attempt on his life in Vosloorus, Ekurhuleni, last year.
The State told the court that investigators still needed time to verify his home address in Mmabatho, North West, before proceeding with bail.
The State also said that the delay could have been avoided had the defence provided the address earlier.
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Mogotsi’s attorney, Makau Sekgatja, opposed the week-long postponement, arguing that the State had already had sufficient time to prepare.
“I do not want, for confidentiality purposes, I do not want to reveal the full address. On behalf of the accused, we request a date less than seven days for address verification,” Sekgatja said.
The defence argued that Mogotsi had already spent the weekend in custody after being arrested on Friday and that postponing the matter for another week was excessive.
“Your Worship, the instruction that I hold on behalf of the accused is that a seven-day period for address verification is a very long period for this particular address,” he said.
Sekgatja requested that the matter be postponed until Thursday, insisting investigators could verify the address within days.
He argued that police investigators were already familiar with the accused’s movements and business operations.
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“The accused person instructs me that there was a previous occasion in March, wherein the investigating officer came to the business premises of the accused person, which is not far from where the accused person resides,” Sekgatja said.
The State acknowledged that investigators had previously visited Mogotsi’s business premises but maintained that his residential address had only been provided on Monday morning.
After hearing submissions from both parties, the magistrate ruled in favour of the State’s application.
The magistrate ordered that the matter return to Court 13 in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court next Monday for address verification and a formal bail application, with Mogotsi to remain in custody until then.
According to the charge sheet, investigators allege that Mogotsi fabricated an attempted assassination incident in Vosloorus on 3 November 2025.
The State alleges that Mogotsi initially reported being followed by occupants of a bakkie who allegedly opened fire on his Chevrolet Aveo sedan, forcing him to flee on foot.
However, investigators later concluded that Mogotsi allegedly stopped the vehicle himself, exited while armed with a firearm, and fired multiple shots into his own car before later opening an attempted murder case with police.
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Mogotsi now faces five charges, including unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, discharging a firearm in a built-up area, defeating or obstructing the course of justice, and perjury.
The charge sheet alleges that the firearm used in the incident was a 9mm semi-automatic pistol allegedly possessed without a licence, together with 11 rounds of ammunition.
Mogotsi was arrested on Friday shortly after completing his testimony before the Madlanga Commission in Pretoria.
Speaking after the court hearing on Monday, Gauteng spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority, Magaboke Mohlathlole welcomed the start of criminal proceedings against Mogotsi.
“The National Prosecuting Authority remains committed to ensuring that any attempt to undermine the administration of justice is dealt with in accordance with the law,” Mohlathlole said.
