A muslim leader in Fiji says his community is relieved the man charged with carrying out the Christchurch terror attacks pleaded guilty last week.
Abu-Bakr Sadiq Koya, president of the Masjid Ul Halil Mosque in Lautoka, Fiji. Photo: Supplied
Three Fijians were among the 51 worshippers killed at the Linwood and Al Noor mosques in 2019.
In a surprise move, the man charged with 51 counts of murder, 40 of attempted murder and one of engaging in a terrorist act pleaded guilty in the Christchurch High Court.
Abu-Bakr Sadiq Koya is the president of the Masjid Ul-Halil Mosque in Lautoka.
Mr Koya said there was a sense of relief within community that the legal trial was effectively over.
"It has been a relief because it shouldn't have been done. It was a great matter. Innocent people have been killed. It was not right and incorrect but the lives cannot come back now. Justice has been done so now he will serve out the punishment."
Abu-Bakr Sadiq Koya said God would be the ultimate judge on the killer.
NZ PM, Jacinda Ardern, meets family of the Fijian men killed in the 2019 attacks Photo: Supplied to RNZ