Businessman Brown Mogotsi was denied bail when he appeared at the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court.
Image: Itumeleng English/ Independent Newspapers
North West businessman Brown Mogotsi has instructed his legal team to appeal a Johannesburg Magistrate's Court ruling denying him bail on Thursday.
Mogotsi indicated that he was "not satisfied" with Magistrate Annelise Tlhapi's refusal of his bail application.
Speaking to the media afterwards, Mogotsi's attorney, Makau Sekgatja, said: "He (Mogotsi) is not satisfied with the decision and has not taken it well. He asked to appeal the ruling."
Mogotsi appeared before Tlhapi on charges related to allegedly staging an assassination attempt on himself in Vosloorus in November.
The magistrate's ruling refusing bail was based, among other factors, on findings that Mogotsi had failed to provide his correct residential address.
Mogotsi was arrested on May 15 by a multidisciplinary SAPS team shortly after concluding his testimony at the Madlanga Commission in Pretoria.
Sekgatja said his legal team would immediately begin work on the appeal.
"In our application, we will be appealing the magistrate's decision. We will start work on it today (Thursday)," he said.
The attorney indicated that the issue relating to the incorrect address supplied to authorities resulted from what he described as a "clerical error".
"In the address we provided, the number 4454 was issued, but his wife clarified that it was 4544. It was an honest mistake."
Sekgatja said the pin location provided to investigators led them to the correct address.
During previous proceedings, State prosecutor Advocate Thami Mpekana opposed bail, arguing that Mogotsi had not fully cooperated with investigators.
Mpekana said police initially struggled to trace Mogotsi because investigators were informed that he had died.
"The investigating officer had gone to Mmabatho and also to his place of business and was told that he was dead," he said.
Mpekana further argued that Mogotsi misled investigators and frustrated attempts to verify his address.
According to the State, police visited an address in Mmabatho supplied through Mogotsi's legal team but were told that he did not live there.
Prosecutors also alleged that investigators struggled to contact Mogotsi before his appearance at the Madlanga Commission and claimed that he had previously provided false address details during a 2007 investigation.
Sekgatja confirmed that Mogotsi maintained his innocence and said the defence had until June 12 to file its appeal.
DAILY NEWS