WATCH | Stunts Brown Mogotsi pulled to avoid law enforcement

He first avoided calls from investigators, then claimed to be consulting with a medical practitioner for three hours, then said he was seeing a sangoma.

A week later, he told police he was at a funeral in Mpumalanga.

These are some of the excuses self-proclaimed crime intelligence agent Brown Mogotsi gave to police investigators in order to avoid giving a warning statement to alleged assassination attempt in 2025.

State prosecutor Adv Thami Mpekana told the Johannesburg magistrate’s court that Mogotsi should not get bail as he might abscond or not stand trial.

Mogotsi is charged with perjury, defeating the ends of justice, unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, and discharging a firearm in a public space.

The state alleges the he staged his assassination attempt in which his car was mysteriously pumped with 11 bullets in Vosloorus, Ekurhuleni. At the time, Mogotsi was meant to appear before the Madlanga commission.

The court was hearing his bail application on Monday.

Mpekana told the court that in March 2026 the office of director of public prosecutions instructed the investigating officer to obtain a warning statement from Mogotsi after ballistic report and forensic evidence contradicted his version of events.

Mpekana also said the investigating officer struggled to get hold of Mogotsi because he did not give his cellphone number.

The investigating officer had to travel to Mahikeng in the North West to meet him.

In an affidavit read in court, the investigating officer said: “I informed him [Mogotsi] that I am the investigating officer investigating this matter, I told him that I was there [Mahikeng] to obtain a warning statement on the matter. He informed me that he was currently at a doctor, and if I could wait for him he will be there in about two hours.”

Mpekana said the investigating officer waited, and after two hours he called Mogotsi again and he said he was still at the doctor’s waiting room, and pleaded that he be given an extra hour to finish his consultation.

After an hour, Mogotsi told the officer that he was now consulting with a sangoma between Rustenburg and Mahikeng. He pleaded with the officer to give him two or three hours more to finish.

“He [Mogotsi] then arranged with me to meet in Joburg as he will be going to the Madlanga commission [in Pretoria] on March 4,” the affidavit continued.

The officer said Mogotsi failed to present himself at the commission, and on March 9 the officer called Mogotsi several times with no luck despite messages left on his phone.

The next day Mogotsi informed the officer that he will be in Gauteng and arranged to meet with him on March 12.

On March 11 and 12, the investigating officer tried to get hold of Mogotsi with no luck. “I [also] did not receive any communication [from him] on March 13. I sent him a message informing him that we have to meet to obtain a statement,” the affidavit read.

The officer said Mogotsi informed him via WhatsApp that he was at a funeral in Mpumalanga and promised he would not return to Mahikeng without seeing him at the office.

The investigator further said due to Mogotsi being untraceable, a warrant for his arrest was applied and granted.

Mogotsi was arrested on May 15 after he testified at the Madlanga inquiry.

It is alleged that while in the cells at Johannesburg Central, Mogotsi attempted to offer the investigator a bribe for him not to oppose bail.

On May 18, he made his first appearance at the Johannesburg magistrate’s court where he was formally charged and the case postponed.

The matter has been postponed to Thursday.

Sowetan