The two men who have been accused of hijacking and murdering Scarborough surfer David Wolfromm, 38, are free after charges against them were provisionally withdrawn.
Mark Williams and Wilson “Stoffel” Wilschut had faced charges of murder, hijacking, malicious damage to property and defeating the ends of justice.
Mr Wilschut had faced an additional charge of illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Both had abandoned their bail application last year.
They had been out on bail for another crime at the time of their arrest, following Mr Wolfromm’s murder.
His body was found in his burnt-out Nissan Xtrail on Slangkop Road, near Ocean View, in May last year, after what is believed to have been a botched hijacking.
According to National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesman Eric Ntabazalila, the case was withdrawn after witnesses failed to show up. However, Mr Ntabazalila said the state was applying for warrants to re-arrest both accused.
“The investigating officer is busy talking to the witnesses again to secure their presence in court when the matter resumes again and he has met with the father of the deceased to explain the way forward,” Mr Ntabazalila said.
In February, a key witness in the case, Jocelyn Claasen, 27, was shot dead in Ocean View.
Her body was found in an open field in Andromeda Way, at 5am, on February 2. She was nine months pregnant.
Ms Claasen was one of two women who allegedly witnessed Mr Wolfromm’s X-trail being set alight with his body in the back.
