Businessman and political fixer Brown Mogotsi will spend more days behind bars after the Johannesburg Magistrates’ Court postponed his case to next week for further investigations linked to his bail application.

Mogotsi appeared in court on Monday, facing a string of charges arising from what investigators now allege was a staged assassination attempt in Vosloorus, Ekurhuleni, last year.

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said Mogotsi is facing charges of unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, discharging a firearm in a built-up area, defeating the ends of justice, and perjury.

According to the State, the charges stem from an incident on 3 November 2025 when Mogotsi allegedly reported to police that unknown gunmen travelling in a bakkie had pursued and shot at his vehicle while he was driving alone in Vosloorus on Gauteng’s East Rand.

At the time, Mogotsi claimed he was forced to stop his vehicle and flee on foot after multiple shots were allegedly fired in his direction. African Times visited the crime scene and spoke to a number of witnesses who told journalists that they saw Mogotsi shooting at the red vehicle, dismissing claims of any hit.

The report triggered an attempted murder investigation by police.

However, prosecutors now allege that subsequent investigations uncovered a dramatically different version of events.

The NPA said evidence gathered during the investigation allegedly revealed that Mogotsi deliberately stopped his own vehicle, got out while armed with a firearm, and fired several shots into the car himself.

“It is further alleged that Mogotsi made a false statement under oath in an affidavit deposed before a commissioner of oaths, falsely claiming that his vehicle had been shot at by unknown assailants,” NPA Gauteng spokesperson Magaboke Mohlatlole said in a statement.

The State requested a seven-day postponement to verify Mogotsi’s residential address before formally opposing or considering bail.

Magistrate Mhlabeni Makamu postponed the matter to 25 May 2026 for address verification and further bail investigations. Mogotsi remains in custody.

The businessman appeared subdued in court on Monday, dressed in a tracksuit after spending the weekend in police cells. His arrest on Friday came shortly after his dramatic appearance before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, where he repeatedly invoked his right against self-incrimination during tense questioning by evidence leaders.

Mogotsi had appeared before the commission wearing a red-and-black formal outfit when investigators moved in to arrest him later that day. His lawyer was later seen bringing him a change of clothes ahead of Monday’s court proceedings. He told journalists that his client was not coping well.

During his testimony before the commission on Friday, Mogotsi repeatedly responded to questions with the phrase: “I don’t want to incriminate myself.”

His refusal to answer several questions raised tensions inside the hearing room, particularly as evidence leaders probed his alleged political connections and claims surrounding threats to his life.

Despite the charges now facing him, Mogotsi maintains that he is innocent.

The businessman has become a controversial figure in recent months following his appearance before the commission, where his name surfaced in relation to allegations involving political interference, alleged underworld connections and claims of intimidation.

His testimony drew widespread public attention after he alleged there had been attempts on his life and claimed he feared for his safety.

The latest criminal case against him has now cast doubt over those earlier claims, with investigators alleging the supposed assassination attempt was fabricated.

The NPA said it remains committed to ensuring that any attempts to mislead law enforcement agencies or undermine the justice system are prosecuted fully.

“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,” Mohlatlole said.

Outside the court, there was a heavy police presence as journalists and members of the public gathered to follow the proceedings involving the politically connected businessman. Speaking outside court, SAPS national spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said, “The firearm used in the ‘staged’ shooting of Brown Mogotsi is linked to an armed robbery in Roodepoort and a murder in Eldorado Park”

Legal experts say the perjury and defeating-the-ends-of-justice charges could significantly complicate Mogotsi’s legal troubles, particularly if prosecutors can prove that false statements were deliberately made to mislead investigators and trigger a criminal probe based on fabricated evidence.

The matter will return to the Johannesburg Magistrates’ Court next Monday, when Mogotsi is expected to formally apply for bail.