Faizel Patel – 25/08/2020
A New Zealand based youth leader and activist says it was a painful day in court for the families of the victims of the New Zealand Mosque attack during sentencing of an Australian man who murdered 51 Muslims as they prayed in the city of Christchurch last year.
Brenton Tarrant, a self-confessed white supremacist, pleaded guilty in March to 51 murder charges, 40 of attempted murder and one charge of committing a terrorist act.
The plea came a year after Tarrant attacked people attending Friday prayers at two mosques with semi-automatic guns, streaming the shooting live on Facebook.
Speaking to Radio Islam, Haris Murtaza says despite the guilty plea, Tarrant has been largely unapologetic.
“He changed his plea to guilty which was a real relief for a lot of family members. One of the victims said that in court today as well that she was relieved and that it was one of the happiest days of her life that she did not have to testify in court against him because he killed her son and it would’ve been something for her to relive.”
He says Tarrant will know his fate this week.
“On Thursday, Justice Cameron Mander at the Christchurch High Court will deliver his verdict on Thursday morning. But before that he (Tenant) will get a chance to make a submission and we don’t really know what he’ll say or how he’ll confront the victims.”
Tarrant faces life imprisonment, with a non-parole period of 17 years. But the judge has the power to decide on imprisoning him without the possibility of release, which means Tarrant would be imprisoned for the rest of his life. Such a sentence has never been imposed in New Zealand.
Listen to the interview with Haris Murtaza
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