Johannesburg - An apparent satanic ritual after which a teenage girl died was badly planned, the High Court sitting in the Palm Ridge Magistrate's Court heard on Tuesday.
Lester Moody, who has admitted to his role in the killing, said the group failed to discuss in detail what each individual would do during the ritual.
Having Kirsty Theologo, the intended murder victim, at the meeting was another blunder.
Moody was testifying against four people accused of setting alight Theologo and her 14-year-old friend in an alleged satanic ritual on October 21, 2011.
He and Jeremy King have pleaded guilty to the crime and were sentenced to 17 years in jail, five of them suspended, under a plea bargain with the State.
The four Ä Harvey Isha, Robin Harwood, Lindon Wagner, and Courtney Daniels Ä have pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, attempted murder, and assault to cause grievous bodily harm.
Theologo, who was 18 at the time, and her friend were tied up, doused with petrol, and set alight on a hill behind the Linmeyer swimming pool in southern Johannesburg. Theologo later died in hospital. Her friend survived.
Under cross-examination on Tuesday, Moody said Wagner called a meeting a day before the ritual took place.
Asked who was selected to burn Theologo and how it would be done, Moody said this was never discussed.
Throttling the girls before setting them alight was also not part of the plan.
Last week, Moody testified the group had agreed on who would bring what to perform the ritual.
He said he was told to bring brake-fluid. He later told the court he and the accused were told to bring whatever they could.
The trial was adjourned until Thursday, when King was expected to testify.
Judge Geraldine Borchers asked that King and Moody be placed in separate cells while the trial was underway.
Counsel had complained that the two could be discussing court proceedings. - Sapa