A jury in the trial of four men charged in connection with the murder of Mahamud Ilyas over two years ago has viewed CCTV footage of what a garda described as the moment two figures in dark clothing carried his body to a parked car.
Garda Dermot Sloane told the jury that the two figures carried “a red object” containing the deceased to the car that was parked at apartments in Verdemont in Blanchardstown.
The body of Mr Ilyas (22) was discovered at a wooded area at Belgree Lane in Co Meath on December 10th, 2022, with a pathologist finding that he suffered blunt force trauma to the head that caused traumatic brain injury.
Viorel Doroscan (23), of Bay Meadows Square, Hollystown, Dublin, and Otniel Richardo Clejan (24), with a former address at Verdemont, have pleaded not guilty to the murder of Mr Ilyas on December 9th, 2022.
Co-accused Robert Burns (59), with an address in Verdemont, and Lorenzo Cantaragiu (21), of Castlegrange Park, Blanchardstown, face charges of impeding the prosecution or apprehension of Mr Clejan and Mr Doroscan, by committing various acts while knowing or believing them to have committed the offence of causing serious harm to Mr Ilyas. They have pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The jury at the Central Criminal Court on Monday viewed CCTV footage showing the movements of the accused on December 9th, with Garda Sloane giving evidence to counsel for the prosecution, Jane Murphy BL.
Garda Sloane said that footage from Verdemont in Blanchardstown at around 4pm on December 9th showed two persons wearing dark clothing carrying “a red object”, which contained the deceased. He said that the footage went on to show Mr Doroscan and Mr Clejan dressed in black standing beside a car.
Garda Sloane said that a BMW driven by Lorenzo Cantaragiu exited the car park and travelled in a northerly direction towards Kilbride, Co. Meath. Garda Sloane said that this car returned at 4.18pm from the area where the deceased was found.
He said that at 4.29pm, Mr Cantaragiu entered the Circle K at Mulhuddart, where he purchased cleaning products. At 4.43pm, at Circle K, Coolmine, Mr Cantaragiu met with an individual to sell the BMW.
The jury also saw video footage taken by a member of the public on their iPhone that showed a figure in black at 4.34pm running across the field where the deceased was found.
Footage from a residence at Kilbride showed two figures in dark clothing walking in the direction of the scene at 5.36pm.
At the opening of the trial, Eoin Lawlor SC, for the Director of Public Prosecutions, said the prosecution intends to show that Mr Doroscan, Mr Clejan and Mr Burns were involved in the sale and supply of drugs.
On December 8th, 2022, counsel said, Mr Burns’s home at Verdemont was being used to store cannabis. That evening Mr Ilyas called to Mr Burns’s home and was seen leaving carrying a shopping bag containing cannabis. Mr Lawlor said Mr Ilyas “wasn’t supposed to” take the cannabis and then tried to sell it to others.
The following afternoon, Mr Lawlor said Mr Doroscan made contact with Mr Ilyas and told him he wished to speak to him urgently. Mr Ilyas went into the house at Verdemont at about 2.41pm.
Mr Lawlor said another man, who will be a witness in the trial, was outside and heard noises that caused him to enter the house.
Counsel told the jury they will hear what this man saw in the living room of the house, including: “The violence done to Mr Ilyas in his presence and what was said to Mr Ilyas and the connection to the drugs taken from Mr Burns’s house the previous day.”
The trial continues tomorrow before Mr Justice Tony Hunt and a jury of five women and seven men.
