COURTLAND—A former Franklin police detective, indicted last week on a charge of perjury, has already been replaced by moving a patrol officer into his position, Police Chief Phil Hardison said Thursday.

&uot;We’ll see how this turns out,&uot; Hardison said of the grand jury indictment, which was unsealed Tuesday. &uot;It’s unfortunate. I hate it for all of the parties involved.&uot;

Edwin J. Delgado is charged with lying under oath on Nov. 30. A Southampton County grand jury issued a direct indictment making the charge April 22, and he was arrested and brought before a magistrate April 23, according to court records.

Southampton Circuit Court Clerk Rick Francis maintained until Tuesday that the indictment had been sealed by a judge, making it publicly available only after Delgado appeared in court for a brief hearing in which his case was continued.

Delgado, a Suffolk resident, was released on $1,000 unsecured bond. He has hired a Norfolk law firm to represent him in the case, according to court records.

Delgado had served on the Franklin force for about eight years, Hardison said. He resigned his position about two months ago, after the Virginia State Police had begun an investigation at the request of the Southampton County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office, the chief added.

Court records indicate that a special prosecutor from the Chesapeake Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office will handle the case in the Southampton courts. Attorneys are in the process of picking a trial date, according to a letter from Delgado’s lawyers.

Southampton Commonwealth’s Attorney Eric Cooke declined comment on the case or its implications.