The man accused of murdering British charity worker Elisabeth-Jane Ross and abandoning her body in a suitcase has appeared before a court in Athens for the first time. Sharif Ahmadzai, 26, appeared at a preliminary hearing held behind closed doors at the Evelpidon Street Courthouse, just minutes from the derelict building where Ms Ross’s body was discovered on 18 July. The hearing comes as Greek authorities continue investigating the death of the 38-year-old British aid worker, whose body was found inside a suitcase by a homeless man.
Murder, robbery and weapons charges
Ahmadzai has been charged with:
- Murder
- Robbery
- Illegal possession of a weapon
He was brought to court in an unmarked grey Hyundai i30 under police escort. Judicial sources believe his legal team may seek a standard 48-hour adjournment to prepare his formal testimony, which would see him returned to custody before proceedings continue.
Admits moving body but denies murder
According to investigators, Ahmadzai has admitted placing Ms Ross’s body into a suitcase and transporting it to the abandoned building where it was later found. He has also admitted withdrawing €10,000 (around £8,500) from cash machines using her bank cards after her death. However, he continues to deny murdering her. A senior criminal lawyer involved in the case said investigators do not believe his account, describing it as his apparent defence strategy.
CCTV and phone evidence
Greek police say they have gathered extensive evidence as part of the investigation. This reportedly includes CCTV footage showing a man matching Ahmadzai’s description wheeling a black suitcase through Athens on 16 July. Investigators also believe a series of text messages sent to Ms Ross’s friends and family after her death were sent by Ahmadzai in an apparent attempt to disguise what had happened.
Alleged attempt to mislead investigators
According to Greek media outlet Proto Thema, Ahmadzai allegedly attempted to mislead investigators by claiming an unnamed extremist jihadist group had been responsible for Ms Ross’s death, alleging she had been targeted because she was attempting to convert people to Christianity. Police are continuing to investigate those claims.
Background
The court heard Ahmadzai fled Afghanistan in 2016 after members of his family were reportedly killed by the Taliban. He travelled through Pakistan, Iran and Turkey before eventually settling in Greece. After converting to Christianity in 2017, he met his future wife, Alaina Hall, from the US state of Georgia, and the couple married in 2023. Ms Ross is understood to have met the couple while volunteering with a refugee charity. Investigators have also reviewed historic social media posts believed to belong to Ahmadzai in which he criticised corruption within charitable organisations.
Wife gives evidence
Ahmadzai’s wife has since provided a statement to investigators. She told police she woke during the early hours of 15 July to find her husband missing. Using the Find My Friends app, she said she tracked his location to Ms Ross’s apartment. She also told officers she became suspicious after receiving expensive gifts from her husband, including €2,550 (around £2,200) and an iPhone 17 Pro, which she feared may have been purchased using stolen bank cards. The investigation into Ms Ross’s death remains ongoing.
