The alleged North West political fixer, Brown Mogotsi, will remain behind bars after the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court denied him bail on Thursday morning.
Mogotsi faces charges including defeating the ends of justice for allegedly staging an assassination attempt on himself in Vosloorus in November last year.
Magistrate Annelese Tlhapi told the court that all three addresses provided by Mogotsi could not be verified as his residential addresses.
“The court found there is no proper address for the applicant and it would be difficult for the state to trace him. There may be a likelihood that he will evade his trial,” said Tlhapi.
“Therefore, the interests of justice do not permit his release because there is no proper address. Bail is denied.”
The magistrate ruled that, based on this and other concerns raised during proceedings, Mogotsi would not be granted bail.
Tlhapi further stated that Mogotsi had provided a pin location linked to a property where his wife was found. The wife allegedly submitted a lease agreement to the court indicating that the property was being leased from Mosia Kgosi.
However, the investigating officer innhis affidavit stated that all the addresses visited did not belong to Mogotsi.
“The investigating officer visited all these addresses. They do not belong to the applicant. Thandiwe Sinokwane confirmed she is the owner and that the applicant does not stay there. The second property, according to the investigating officer, belongs to the Mafikeng Municipality and has been leased,” the court heard.
The court found that the addresses provided by the applicant were incorrect and did not belong to him.
The matter has been postponed to 12 June for trial preparations.
