Christchurch mosque shootings: The secret flight to get gunman to sentencing

The Al Noor Mosque on Deans Ave in Christchurch - one of the two sites where 51 people were murdered in March 2019. Photo / File

The transportation of the mosque gunman from Auckland to Christchurch is shrouded in secrecy.

The Australian national will appear in person at the High Court at Christchurch on Monday - when he's sentenced on 51 murder charges, 40 attempted murder charges, and one terrorism charge.

He's being held at Paremoremo Prison in Auckland.

The Department of Corrections won't comment on when or how the 29-year-old will travel to Christchurch.

It says that information would pose a serious and significant risk to his secure management - which would compromise the safety of staff and the public.

The department was also asked how Covid-19 rules might affect travel.

It would only say the prisoner continues to be managed in accordance with the provisions set out in the Corrections Act.

Police also refused to comment, saying it was a Corrections matter.

The mosque shooter is being held at Paremoremo Prison in Auckland. Photo / Doug Sherring

The global pandemic will not stop Mustafa Boztas from facing the Christchurch terrorist in court.

The Dunedin man has left his family behind in their native Turkey to return to New Zealand for the sentencing.

While he was nervous about giving his victim impact statement in court, it was important for him to be there, he told the Otago Daily Times from his quarantine room at Auckland's Grand Millennium Hotel earlier this month.

"Even if I'm nervous, I'm gonna show him that we are strong.

"He hasn't broken me."

Boztas was a university student in Christchurch at the time of the shooting.

He was at the Al Noor Mosque for afternoon prayers when the terrorist burst in and opened fire.

He was shot in the leg and saw many others murdered.

Boztas wants to face the shooter in court and see justice done.

- additional reporting Otago Daily Times