Afghan boxer accused of killing Scottish aid worker back in court
Sharif Ahmadzai, who is 26 and from Afghanistan, faces charges of homicide with intent, robbery and weapons offences.
Afghan Boxer Sharif Ahmadzai Returns to Court in Athens for Scottish Aid Worker's Killing
Sharif Ahmadzai, a 26-year-old boxer from Afghanistan, made his second court appearance in Athens, Greece, in connection with the death of Scottish aid worker Elisabeth Ross. Ahmadzai faces charges including intentional homicide, robbery, and weapons offenses.
Ross, 38, was discovered on July 18 by a homeless man in a dilapidated building in the Kypseli district of the Greek capital. Ahmadzai, who was not photographed, arrived at the Athens court on Thursday morning in an unmarked grey vehicle.
On Wednesday, Ahmadzai was appointed a court-assigned lawyer and granted time to prepare his defense. He was initially apprehended on charges of illegal weapons possession. In addition to the intentional homicide charge, he is accused of stealing over €10,000 (£8,500) from Ross's bank accounts using her bank cards. Intentional homicide in Greece is comparable to a murder charge under Scots law.
Greek authorities have stated that Ahmadzai admitted to moving Ross's body but has denied the homicide allegations. Ross, known to her loved ones as Lisa, was from Edinburgh and is believed to have been volunteering with a refugee support organization in Athens. She arrived in Greece on June 26 and resided in the Keratsini area of Piraeus until July 10. It is thought that Ross died several days before her body was found.
Following Ross's alleged killing, Ahmadzai is accused of sending multiple messages from her phone to her friends and family before deactivating the device. Greek newspapers Proto Thema and Ta Nea reported that he purchased a new phone and sent texts to Ross's friends in Athens, impersonating an unnamed jihadist who claimed to have killed the Scot due to her religion.
The newspapers also reported that Ahmadzai's wife, US citizen Alaina Hall, informed police of her suspicions regarding her husband's involvement. She reportedly woke to find him absent from their apartment and tracked his phone to Ross's location. Ahmadzai lived in close proximity to where Elisabeth Ross's body was discovered.