Controversial businessman and alleged political fixer Brown Mogotsi has been denied bail by the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court following his formal bail application on Thursday.
Mogotsi faces a list of charges, including perjury, defeating the ends of justice, unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, and discharging a firearm in a public place. The charges stem from allegations that he staged an assassination attempt against himself in Vosloorus in November 2025.
Delivering her ruling, Magistrate Annelise Tlhapi denied Mogotsi’s application for bail and ordered that he remain in custody pending further proceedings.
In handing down judgment, Tlhapi found that Mogotsi had failed to convince the court that his release on bail would be in the interests of justice. The magistrate said the court had considered the evidence presented by both the defence and the state before reaching its decision.
Mogotsi ‘failed to provide reliable address’
“The applicant (Mogotsi) gave three different addresses but they all could not be linked to him. The application for bail is denied,” Tlhapi ruled.
The matter was postponed to June 12, 2026, for further proceedings.
In his affidavit before the court, Mogotsi denied all allegations against him. He maintained that he had cooperated fully with police investigators and insisted that the charges were unfounded. He denied staging the alleged assassination attempt and rejected claims that he was found in possession of firearms or ammunition.
Mogotsi told the court that he is a businessman based in North West province, where he owns several businesses. He said he is married, the father of four children, and has fixed residential and business addresses. He argued that he was not a flight risk and would attend court proceedings until the matter is finalised.
He further stated that he would not interfere with witnesses, endanger public safety, or undermine the administration of justice if released on bail. Mogotsi disclosed previous convictions, including a 2012 conviction for assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm and a 2015 conviction for reckless and negligent driving.
Assassination attempt ‘fabricated’
The state opposed bail, relying heavily on evidence presented by the investigating officer. According to the state, police responded to a shooting complaint in Vosloorus on November 3, 2025, where they found Mogotsi’s vehicle with multiple bullet holes and several spent 9mm cartridge cases at the scene.
Investigators alleged that forensic evidence and witness statements contradicted Mogotsi’s version of events. The State contended that crime scene reconstruction and ballistic analysis indicated that the vehicle had been stationary when it was shot and that the reported assassination attempt was fabricated.
‘Mogotsi was hard to trace’
The state further told the court that efforts to trace Mogotsi during the investigation were unsuccessful for an extended period. Police reportedly visited addresses that he shared in North West Province but were unable to locate him. This eventually led to the issuance of a warrant for his arrest.
The State also argued that Mogotsi was not licensed to possess a firearm and that the evidence gathered during the investigation justified the charges brought against him.
Following consideration of the evidence presented by both parties, the court denied bail. Mogotsi will remain in custody pending his next court appearance on June 12.
His lawyer, Makau Sekgatja, said the different addresses issue is an honest mistake.
“We will be appealing the bail because there is an address, it’s the one that the investigating officer used and ended up meeting the wife of Mr Mogotsi,” said Sekgatja.
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Controversial businessman and alleged political fixer Brown Mogotsi has been denied bail by the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court following his formal bail application on
Mogotsi faces a list of charges, including perjury, defeating the ends of justice, unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, and discharging a firearm in a public place.
In handing down judgment, Tlhapi found that Mogotsi had failed to convince the court that his release on bail would be in the interests of justice.
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In his affidavit before the court, Mogotsi denied all allegations against him. He maintained that he had cooperated fully with police investigators and insisted that the charges were unfounded. He denied staging the alleged assassination attempt and rejected claims that he was found in possession of firearms or ammunition.
Mogotsi told the court that he is a businessman based in
He further stated that he would not interfere with witnesses, endanger public safety, or undermine the administration of justice if released on bail. Mogotsi disclosed previous convictions, including a 2012 conviction for assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm and a 2015 conviction for reckless and negligent driving.
Investigators alleged that forensic evidence and witness statements contradicted Mogotsi’s version of events.
His lawyer, Makau Sekgatja, said the different addresses issue is an honest mistake.
"We will be appealing the bail because there is an address, it's the one that the investigating officer used and ended up meeting the wife of Mr Mogotsi," said Sekgatja.
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