Brown Mogotsi Accused Of Attempting To Bribe Investigating Officer, Court Hears In Bail Bid

• Brown Mogotsi appeared before the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on 25 May 2026 for his ongoing bail application
• The North West businessman faces multiple charges, including perjury and unlawful possession of a firearm
• During the matter, which was postponed, the Investigating Officer made a startling claim about the political fixer

Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.

GAUTENG – The Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court has heard that Brown Mogotsi allegedly attempted to bribe the Investigating Officer (IO) in his ongoing case.

The political fixer, who was arrested on 15 May 2026, faces charges of defeating the ends of justice, perjury, unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition and discharging a firearm in a public/municipal area.

The charges stem from a shooting in Vosloorus in November 2025, in which Mogotsi claimed that he was the victim of an attempted assassination. The State alleged that the North West businessman staged the shooting and then falsely reported it to the police.

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Mogotsi accused of attempting to bribe IO

During his bail application on Monday, 25 May 2026, the State argued why Mogotsi’s application should not be granted. The political fixer’s lawyer earlier noted that he could afford R10,000 bail.

State Prosecutor Thami Mpekane read out an affidavit from the IO, where he claimed that Mogotsi attempted to bribe him. Mogotsi allegedly previously approached the IO to ask what he could do to ensure that the State did not oppose bail.

The court also heard that Mogotsi did not provide the IO with accurate addresses. The State believes he could evade trial as a result. The prosecutor noted that the IO visited the address that Mogotsi initially provided, where he spoke to a woman named Thandiwe, who said that Mogotsi did not reside there.

Mogotsi's matter postponed for verification of address

After the State presented its evidence, Mogotsi's lawyer, William Sekatja, asked for an hour to prepare a supplementary affidavit to address the allegations. In that affidavit, Mogotsi denied trying to persuade IO not to oppose bail.

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He also maintained that he provided a correct, verifiable residential address in Mmabatho, Mahikeng (North West), saying that he could even take the police there. He claimed that the police went to the business premises, which was not far from the actual residence.

The State then asked for a postponement to verify the actual residential address. The postponement was granted, and Mogotsi was remanded into custody until Thursday, 28 May 2026.

What you need to know about the shooting

• South Africans weighed in on the alleged assassination attempt against Mogotsi.
• The Madlanga Commission expressed concern about the safety of its witness, Mogotsi.
• Video evidence surfaced of the extent of the damage to Mogotsi’s vehicle.
• Police were unable to reach Mogotsi after he failed to report to the police station as promised.
• New details emerged about the aftermath of the shooting involving Mogotsi.

Mogotsi's vehicle was deemed to be unroadworthy

Briefly News reported that police were collecting and analysing evidence obtained from Mogotsi's vehicle.

The condition of Mogotsi's red Chevrolet sedan had been questioned, especially the condition of the tyres.

South Africans took to social media to weigh in on the unroadworthiness of the vehicle and speculate whether it was Mogotsi's.

Source: Briefly News