A murder charge against Cape Town traffic officer Ian Sinclair was withdrawn when he made his final appearance in the Wynberg Magistrate's Court on Tuesday.
Sinclair's many appearances followed his allegedly shooting dead former Western Province cricketer Luke Fairweather at the Newlands cricket ground in January.
The shooting was apparently sparked by Fairweather's confronting Sinclair over traffic tickets issued to Fairweather's mother.
At Tuesday's hearing the prosecution said representation had been submitted by defence attorney John Riley to the Western Cape Directorate for Public Prosecutions (DPP) for the withdrawal of the charge.
The DPP directed that the matter be referred for an open inquest, at which a magistrate will decide the cause of Fairweather's death and whether anyone is responsible for it.
No indication was given on Tuesday as to when the inquest will take place.
An open inquest is similar to court proceedings, where evidence is led. If the magistrate finds anyone responsible for Fairweather's death, the matter will again be referred to the DPP, and charges against Sinclaire could be reinstated. - Sapa