The teen, who was expected to appear at the Wynberg Magistrates’ Court last Thursday for the murder of his neighbour, Ursula Hugo, 63, of Hanover Park, was let out on Friday morning.
He was set free because 48 hours after he’d been taken in, no docket was presented at court.
He was released on the grounds of “‘nolle prosequi”, because prosecutors found there were not enough grounds for a prosecution.
The minor, who is in Grade 7 at a local high school, has since been placed in a safe house.
It was earlier reported that the boy had “confessed” to killing Ursula, but family sources say he was actually “threatened” by someone to take the blame for the murder.
It is not clear who is behind these alleged threats.
On 17 March, Ursula, who lived alone, was found lying in a pool of blood at her home in John Turf Road, Hanover Park.
Worried neighbours called police after they did not see her emerge from her house to carry out her normal daily chores.
It is believed the killer beat Ursula with a metal bar in the head and made off with R100 from her purse.
Her family said nothing else was missing from the woman’s house.