The Gqeberha firearms dealer charged with the theft of ten 9mm Glock pistols launched her bid for bail in the Magistrates Court on Monday.
Karen Webb, 47, owns Webb's Arms & Indoor Shooting Range in Walmer.
The state alleges that she's linked to the theft of ten firearms that went missing from the Aquila Arms’ stock while the cache was stored at her premises.
She also faces charges of conspiracy to smuggle firearms for criminal entities and the negligent loss of firearms.
According to police, her arrest forms part of an ongoing investigation into how firearms got into the possession of gangsters in the city's northern areas and other provinces.
Webb's attorney, Dries Breytenbach told the court that her business in Walmer is currently closed as she did not renew her lease, but she still has a license to trade in terms of the Firearms Act.
Breytenbach said the owner of Aquila Arms, Chris Evans, had stored firearms at his client's premises, without giving her an inventory list of the guns.
She denied ever having a key to access the storage facility that Evans had rented.
According to the defence the ten Glock pistols that are alleged to have been stolen, were given to Webb in lieu of payment for rental storage fees.
Webb, who has no previous convictions, thinks that the charge of conspiracy to smuggle firearms, allegedly for criminal entities, was "vague to say the least".
Placing her personal circumstances before the court, Breytenbach said she was the primary caregiver of her minor child and that she looked after her mother who had a stroke.
She does not pose a flight risk, will not interfere with state witnesses, will not endanger the public safety, and is willing to hand in her passport and other travel documents, the defence submitted.
Breytenbach further said Webb has no access to any evidentiary material and that her continued incarceration is causing her to suffer financially.
State advocate Liezel Landman asked the court for a postponement to verify Webb's profiles.
Landman also needed time to study the information presented to the court by the defence.
The State is opposing bail.
The case was remanded to 21 February.
