The Witness reports that a seasoned detective from the Mountain Rise police station will remain behind bars after the Pietermaritzburg Magistrate’s Court denied him bail in a case that has shaken the local police service.

Santhalingum Reddy (51), who boasts 31 years in law enforcement, was arrested last month in Northdale following a dramatic police operation sparked by a tip-off. Officers from the SAPS, including the K9 unit, swooped in after receiving information that a brown SUV parked along Martha Road was allegedly being used to traffic high-powered firearms. Police watched as a man emerged from the vehicle and placed a parcel near a wall. Inside, officers discovered a cache of weaponry – a state-issued R5 rifle, two magazines, and 30 rounds of live ammunition. The rifle had been reported stolen from the Richmond police station nearly two decades ago, in 2006. Reddy faces charges of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition. In a bid for bail, he painted the picture of a dedicated civil servant, but the investigating officer said Reddy’s continued freedom would endanger the integrity of an ongoing investigation. Reddy will remain in custody until his next court appearance on 22 July.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Khethukuthula Xulu at The Witness

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