Blue Bulls rugby player "Bees" Roux walked out of the Pretoria High Court a free man on Friday after being given a suspended sentence on charges of culpable homicide and drunken driving.
After the case was delayed for hours on Thursday and most of Friday, the defence and State finally came back to court shortly after 4pm with a plea bargain agreement.
Judge Nomonde Mngqibisa-Thusi sentenced Roux, in accordance with the plea agreement, to five years imprisonment suspended for five years.
The suspension was on condition that he paid the widow of Metro police officer Sergeant Ntshimane Johannes Mogale, who he killed, R750,000 and that he was not convicted again of a violent crime.
If he was, he would receive a sentence of direct imprisonment.
Roux was charged with the murder after allegedly beating Mogale, 38, to death in August last year.
The incident took place after Mogale apparently pulled Roux over for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol.
Roux said in an affidavit placed before court during his bail application he had assaulted Mogale while defending himself against theft and attempted robbery by Mogale and would plead not guilty to a murder charge.
Roux's spokesman James Adams on Friday denied the attack on Mogale had anything to do with racism. He said anyone who knew Roux knew that he was a "gentle giant" and not a racist.
Roux's lawyer Rudi Krause denied that Roux's freedom was "bought".
During an emotional meeting with Mogale's family, "forgiveness was asked and given", he said.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesman Mthunzi Mhaga said: "The decision to conclude the murder case of Mr Roux by way of plea and sentence agreement was taken after thorough assessment of the evidence and after consultations with the family of the deceased and the investigating officer." - Sapa