New facts emerge in Brown Mogotsi perjury case as bail bid set for 25 August

New information has surfaced in the perjury and related charges against Oupa Brown Mogotsi, and a bail application on those new facts is set for 25 August 2026, the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court heard.

What happened so far

Mogotsi was arrested on 15 May and faces charges including defeating the ends of justice, perjury, unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, and discharging a firearm in a public or municipal area. He is accused of orchestrating his own attempted assassination on 3 November 2025 in Vosloorus. His bail appeal was denied last month.

Defence says it has received witness statements

At Mogotsi’s last appearance, the state told the court it was ready to proceed to trial, but Mogotsi’s lawyer, Makau Sekgatja, said the defence had not yet received witness statements. On Thursday, Sekgatja confirmed the State had furnished the defence with the requested statements, but that those statements had been redacted to conceal the names and addresses of witnesses in line with the magistrate’s previous ruling.

Court’s reasoning on witness protection

“The safety of the witnesses is very, very important to this court, you know, and whenever one deals with matters of this nature, one has to be very careful in that the lives of the persons who are to be witnesses are not jeopardised,”

the magistrate said, stressing that names and addresses are protected because in past cases revealed details have led to witnesses being killed.

Next steps: bail application on new facts

Sekgatja told the court that Mogotsi would apply for bail on new facts at the next appearance. He said he had a commitment on that date but that his counsel would be present to proceed with the bail application. The matter was postponed to Tuesday, 25 August 2026, for the bail application on new facts. Mogotsi will remain in custody.

Case status

• The state indicated readiness to proceed to trial at the 3 August 2026 appearance.
• The defence has received redacted witness statements from the State.
• A bail application on new facts is scheduled for 25 August 2026.