Wednesday 28 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 1645Murder · Co. Meath · 9 Dec 2022

Doroscan and Clejan convicted of hammer murder of Mahamud Ilyas in Co Meath

Viorel Doroscan, 23, and Otniel Richardo Clejan, 24, were unanimously convicted by a jury at the Central Criminal Court of murdering 22-year-old Mahamud Ilyas, who was beaten to death with a hammer after a row over a stolen bag of cannabis and dumped in a wooded area at Belgree Lane, Co Meath, in December 2022. Co-accused Lorenzo Cantaragiu, 21, faces separate charges of impeding the prosecution.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Convicted20 May
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
20 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatTwo men were found guilty of the murder of 22-year-old Mahamud Ilyas. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatIlyas was beaten to death and dumped in a wooded area in County Meath. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe prosecution contended Doroscan and Clejan were involved in the sale and supply of drugs. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatWitness Vlady Ndosimau barged through the apartment door after hearing a loud banging noise. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatIlyas was sitting on the floor with his back against a radiator, blood coming from his nose, hands and feet tied with a rope or zip tie, and moaning. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatDoroscan kept shouting 'where is the stuff' while Ilyas was groaning. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatCantaragiu is alleged to have driven the two murder accused and the deceased to Belgree Lane. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatCantaragiu is alleged to have cleaned the car in which they travelled. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereDoroscan is of Bay Meadows Square, Hollystown, West Dublin. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereClejan has a former address at Verdemont in Blanchardstown, Dublin 15. (irishmirror.ie)
  • causeThe murder followed a row over a stolen bag of cannabis. (irishmirror.ie)
  • causeIlyas died from blunt force trauma to the head. (irishmirror.ie)
  • causeThe deceased sustained depressed fractures to his head typical of hammer blows. (irishmirror.ie)
  • weaponDoroscan was holding a fruit knife between Ilyas's legs while Clejan stood close to his head with a hammer. (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeCo-accused Lorenzo Cantaragiu, 21, faces charges of impeding the prosecution or apprehension of Clejan and Doroscan. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtThe jury of seven men and five women deliberated for seven hours and 52 minutes over four days. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtThe jury returned a unanimous verdict against Doroscan and Clejan. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtThe defence case was that the two men acted in self-defence after Ilyas came running into the apartment with a weapon and threatened to kill them. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtBoth pleaded not guilty to the murder of Ilyas on December 9, 2022. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtCantaragiu has pleaded not guilty to all charges. (irishmirror.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 20 May2025
    Convictedirishmirror.ie, first report
    Pair convicted of hammer murder of Mahamud Ilyas

    Jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts after seven hours and 52 minutes of deliberation over four days, rejecting the self-defence case. Co-accused Cantaragiu's trial is still ongoing.

    victim, Mahamud Ilyas, 22, male, non-irish (judged from name)Mahamud Ilyasconvicted, Viorel Doroscan, 23, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Viorel Doroscanconvicted, Otniel Richardo Clejan, 24, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Otniel Richardo Clejanaccused, Lorenzo Cantaragiu, 21, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Lorenzo Cantaragiu