2 hours ago
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Questions Mount as Police Investigate Alleged Hit on Controversial Figure
Police are probing claims surrounding an alleged assassination attempt on Brown Mogotsi, a controversial figure embroiled in allegations of political interference within the criminal justice system. The incident, which occurred on Monday night in Vosloorus, has been met with skepticism as witnesses claim Mogotsi may have staged the attack.
The investigation comes against a backdrop of Mogotsi's reluctance to cooperate with authorities. Police have revealed that Mogotsi twice dodged handing over his electronic devices following a raid on his business last month, further fueling suspicions.
It was shortly after 9pm when a couple sitting outside their home in Vosloorus witnessed a red Chevrolet travelling at high speed suddenly veer off the road and screech to a halt in an open space.
According to the witnesses, the sole occupant of the car alighted with a gun in his hand and fired several shots. Fearing for their lives, the couple fled for cover in different directions.
The vehicle was later identified by police as being driven by Mogotsi, who claimed he came under attack from unknown individuals while driving in Vosloorus Ext 25. He maintains that he survived the alleged shooting unharmed.
One of the witnesses, a woman who was outside her house with her partner when Mogotsi’s vehicle came to a stop nearby, said she only saw one occupant of the car who was talking on the phone before it came to a sudden stop.
She recounted the events: “He parked his car on the deserted space next to housing facing the N3 highway. The same man alighted from the car with a gun and fired shots. My partner and I ran in different directions to seek refuge.”
The woman stated that she later learned the car belonged to Mogotsi and that he had apparently come under attack. Initially hesitant to approach the police, she eventually provided her statement yesterday afternoon.
Adding to the mystery, residents who responded to the scene of the alleged shooting detailed how Mogotsi refused their offers of assistance and left the scene. According to these residents, he rejected outright their offer to call the police, stating, "No, the police were going to finish him off."
According to eNatis records, the vehicle Mogotsi was driving belongs to a now-deregistered investment company that was based in Berea, Johannesburg. Its licence disc expired in June, and the sole director of the company it is registered under was also once one of the directors of Islandsite Investments 180, a Gupta company.
The open space where the alleged shooting happened was cordoned off yesterday as police officers in protective gear combed the scene. The car had been towed to Vosloorus police station where Col Chris Mangena, a top ballistic expert, was inspecting it with colleagues in forensic suits. Residents said they had rushed to the scene after hearing gunshots ring out at night. They found Mogotsi’s car, which had shattered windows, parked.
One resident recounted the scene: "There was no one inside nor nearby. The lights were on, the keys were still in the ignition, but the engine was off."
As they tried to make sense of the situation, a white VW Golf arrived. It parked behind the red car, and Mogotsi alighted from it.
The witness said: “He (Mogotsi) said he had been followed from Spruitview BP garage by unknown men driving in a white bakkie. When we asked if we could call the police or ambulance, he declined and said the police will finish him off.”
Another resident added that while they were still at the scene, a white bakkie arrived, and Mogotsi identified it as his security team. "He got into the bakkie and left with them," he said.
National police spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe confirmed that police later went to the scene, but Mogotsi was not there. Mathe said they called him to go to Vosloorus police station and make a statement, but he told them he was traumatised and would go to the station yesterday morning to open a case. By late afternoon, he still had not shown up.
Mathe stated earlier in the day that they could not confirm whether the allegations that Mogotsi was shot at were a genuine attempt on his life or a possibly staged event until Mogotsi provides his statement.
"If what the community members are alleging is true, that will be tantamount to defeating the ends of justice," said Mathe.
"It’s a waste of state resources because we have even roped in a top ballistic expert to come here and try to solve the case. We have detectives conducting investigations. These resources would have been diverted elsewhere. We are hoping what the community is saying is not true," said Mathe.
The police investigation is ongoing, and authorities are urging anyone with information about the incident to come forward. The circumstances surrounding the alleged attack on Mogotsi remain unclear, and the police are exploring all possible angles, including the possibility that the incident was staged.
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