Hawzah News Agency - (Christchurch - New Zealand) -  Attending prayers at one the Christchurch mosque attack sites say they are hoping for the maximum possible penalty when the gunman is sentenced next week.

The man who killed and injured dozens on Muslims on March 15 last year will hear his fate on 51 charges of murder, 40 charges of attempted murder and a charge of committing a terrorist act. The sentencing is expected to take four days.

Stuff spoke to those attending prayers at Masjid Al Noor on Deans Ave on Friday – the first of the two mosques targeted.

Mohammed Tanveer’s brother Ahmed Iqbal Jahangi was shot in the right shoulder at the Linwood mosque. His arm is now permanently disabled and he can no longer work as a chef.

Tanveer will support his brother when he speaks in court.

“We hope for the best justice for all the victims and the community. We believe in the law here and hopefully he will get the maximum punishment.

When we see he is punished to the max, we will all be very happy.”

Shoaib Akhtar said it had taken a long time for the gunman to be sentenced.

“If they give him some hard punishment, that will justify things,’’ he said.

“The families have suffered. It should be a very hard punishment and give some relief to the families.”

Prime Minster Jacinda Ardern said families and victims would be supported through the potentially traumatic sentencing process.

"You can imagine I will be keeping a very close eye on what happens in that court," she said.

The Ministry of Health could not say how many supporters would be given exemption to travel from Auckland for the hearing.

The community was still healing from the March 15 attack, he said.