Court postpones Mogotsi case to 22 June for fresh bail application

Brown Mogotsi

Johannesburg – Political fixer and North West businessman Oupa Brown Mogotsi remains in custody after his case was postponed to 22 June 2026, allowing his legal team to prepare a fresh bail application based on what they describe as “new facts”.

Mogotsi briefly appeared in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Friday, where his lawyers asked for the matter to be transferred to the bail court.

This follows the refusal of his initial bail application on 4 June 2026, with Magistrate Annelise Thlapi ruling that he had failed to provide a reliable residential address.

“There are three different addresses provided by the applicant,” Thlapi said, adding: “The applicant failed to prove before this court that he has a proper address.” She further stated that “the interests of justice do not permit his release.”

The court found that Mogotsi could not be reliably traced and might evade trial.

Mogotsi faces charges of 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 attempted assassination in Vosloorus in November 2025.

The State alleges that witnesses saw him fire shots at his own vehicle before claiming he had been targeted, and further argues that CCTV footage showed no other vehicles in the area at the time of the incident. Prosecutors also claim he provided false addresses, delayed cooperating with police, and attempted to bribe an investigating officer.

His lawyer, William Sekgatja, disputed the ruling, arguing that the address issues were minor and amounted to “an honest mistake”. “The only discrepancy is how these particular numbers follow each other,” Sekgatja said. He added that the address was provided by Mogotsi’s wife and confirmed by traditional authorities, along with supporting documents including an affidavit, GPS data, telephone records and municipal paperwork.

Despite the setback, the defence insisted the matter was not closed.

“Yes, we are confident that these new facts will actually bring clarity to the magistrate and will actually satisfy the court that this particular address where Mr Mogotsi is residing is actually positive,” Sekgatja said.

Mogotsi’s legal team maintains that the discrepancies should not justify detention, while the State argues the inconsistencies undermine his credibility and strengthen the case for continued custody.

The matter will return to court on 22 June for the renewed bail application.

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