Mogotsi refuses to answer questions to avoid ‘incrimination’


Proceedings at the Madlanga Commission in Pretoria have taken a dramatic turn after alleged political fixer Brown Mogotsi refused to answer questions.

Mogotsi, who had earlier been ordered by the commission to continue giving evidence after his recusal application against chief evidence leader Matthew Chaskalson was dismissed, told the inquiry that he would not respond to questions because he did not want to incriminate himself.

Mogotsi was being led in evidence by Chaskalson.

Chaskalson: “Was General Sibiya correct to say that the first time he met you was at the January 8th event?”

Mogotsi: “To all the answers, I’m not going to incriminate myself. Moving forward, chair.”

Chaskalson: “But I don’t understand how you can incriminate yourself in relation to whether you met General Sibiya before January the 8th or only on January the 8th?”

Mogotsi: “As I said, I am not going to incriminate myself.”

Chaskalson tells the Commission that Mogotsi’s refusal to answer questions could result in criminal prosecution.

“Chair, I think it is possibly appropriate for Mr Mokotsi to take some legal advice on this, because certainly the attitude of the evidence leaders is that, subject to any plausible reason for a fear of self-incrimination, the evidence leaders would want a refusal to answer questions to be followed by a referral for prosecution under the relevant provisions of the act.”

 

Today’s Madlanga Commission proceedings in the stream below: