Self-proclaimed political fixer Brown Mogotsi will remain behind bars after the Johannesburg Magistrates’ Court dismissed his fourth attempt to secure bail in connection with an alleged staged assassination attempt on himself.

Mogotsi was back in the dock on Tuesday for judgment on his latest bail application, but the magistrate found that the new addresses he presented did not amount to new facts that justified revisiting earlier bail decisions.

The court also found that Mogotsi remained a flight risk and was not a trustworthy bail applicant.

“The evidence in the initial bail application, together with his application on new facts, and I found that there are no new facts. I’m of the view that the applicant is attempting to remedy the shortcomings of his previous bail application due to his inconsistent addresses. Therefore, it is not in the interest of justice that he be released on bail, and my previous decision therefore stands. Bail is denied,” the magistrate said.

The latest ruling means Mogotsi will remain in custody until his criminal trial, which is expected to begin in October.

Mogotsi was arrested on May 15, 2026, after appearing before the Madlanga Commission, where his name and alleged links to political and criminal networks had come under scrutiny.

His criminal case relates to an incident in Vosloorus on November 3, 2025, when Mogotsi allegedly staged an assassination attempt by firing shots at his own vehicle and then falsely reporting that he had been attacked.

He faces several charges, including unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, discharging a firearm in a built-up area, defeating or obstructing the ends of justice and perjury.

The State alleges that the shooting was deliberately staged and that Mogotsi subsequently made a false report to police about the alleged attack.

Mogotsi has denied the allegations.

His legal team has made several attempts to secure his release since his arrest, but the applications have repeatedly failed.

His first bail application was dismissed by the Johannesburg Magistrates’ Court on June 4 after concerns were raised about the residential addresses he provided. The State had challenged the addresses as contradictory and not independently verifiable.

A second bail application was rejected on June 29 after the court found that Mogotsi had failed to establish genuinely new facts that would justify his release.

Mogotsi then approached the High Court to challenge the bail decisions.

On July 29, High Court Judge Nelisa Mali dismissed his bail appeal, with concerns including the absence of a verifiable residential address and the issue of whether the circumstances relied upon amounted to new facts.

Mogotsi subsequently returned to the magistrates’ court with another bail application, arguing that circumstances had changed and presenting a new address.

The State opposed his release and raised concerns about the possibility that he could evade the court process.

The investigating officer also told the court that Mogotsi had never resided in Johannesburg, raising concerns about his ability to change his physical address and potentially evade authorities.

The State had also previously alleged that Mogotsi planned to escape from court cells disguised as a correctional officer. The allegation formed part of the State’s opposition to his release.

The latest court finding means the previous decisions refusing him bail remain in force.

The case now moves towards trial, where the State will have to prove the charges against Mogotsi beyond reasonable doubt.

The allegations surrounding the November 2025 shooting have attracted considerable attention because the case centres on claims that an assassination attempt was deliberately fabricated.

Mogotsi’s defence has previously disputed the State’s version of events.

His attorney, William Sekgatja, has argued that no person was killed or injured during the incident and previously described the matter as a crime involving a vehicle.

The State, however, alleges that the incident was part of a deliberate attempt to mislead investigators and obstruct the administration of justice.

With bail now denied for a fourth time, Mogotsi remains in custody as the case proceeds towards the October trial.

The next stage will be the criminal trial, where evidence relating to the alleged shooting, the firearm, Mogotsi’s statements to police and the State’s allegations of perjury and obstruction of justice will be tested in court.