An Afghan migrant accused of murdering British aid worker Elisabeth Jane Ross and concealing her body in a suitcase has reportedly been seriously assaulted while in custody at a Greek prison.
Sharif Ahmadzai, 26, is being detained over the death of Ms Ross, 38, whose body was discovered inside a suitcase in Athens on July 18.
The Afghan boxer faces charges of intentional homicide, robbery and illegal possession of a firearm. Police were reportedly given information by his wife, Alaina Hall, after she became concerned by his behaviour in the period after Ms Ross died.
Ahmadzai was remanded in custody in August and transferred to Korydallos Prison, Greece’s biggest jail, where he is awaiting trial. The facility has long drawn criticism over overcrowding and the treatment of inmates.
Fellow prisoners have reportedly branded Ahmadzai a “lady killer,” and he is said to have been targeted by inmates hostile to people accused of crimes against women.
Sources claimed the murder suspect has encountered what they described as the “full force of justice” inside the prison, which is regarded as one of Europe’s most unforgiving detention facilities.
A custodial source said Ahmadzai was subjected to a violent assault and “badly beaten up,” adding: “Inmates don’t like lady killers and they soon made that known.”
Officials who spoke to prison staff said the alleged attack took place soon after Ahmadzai entered Korydallos Prison.
Sharif Ahmadzai, who is being held over the death of British aid worker Elisabeth Jane Ross, has reportedly been badly beaten in a Greek jail.
Ahmadzai is being held at Korydallos Prison, Greece’s largest jail, which has faced allegations of overcrowding and inhumane conditions for detainees. Pictured: part of Korydallos Prison.
Elisabeth Jane Ross was found dead in a suitcase in Athens after allegedly being killed by the Afghan migrant
Ahmadzai, a boxer, moved to Athens with his American wife and helped refugees in the city
‘He was targeted by other prisoners quite soon,’ they told The Sun, adding: ‘He had to be taken to the infirmary.’
Elisabeth Ross had regularly visited Greece, volunteering with NGOs helping refugees, homeless people and other vulnerable groups, particularly those from Afghanistan or Iran.
In the time leading up to her death, Ms Ross, who was from Edinburgh, arrived in Athens on June 26 and had been staying with Greek friends in the Keratsini district, the country’s main seaport close to the city.
Police confirmed she moved to Rethymnou Street in the city centre on July 2 and was volunteering with a Christian-based NGO working with refugees. Only two weeks later, her dead body was discovered in a suitcase inside an abandoned building.
Ahmadzai’s US-born wife, Ms Hall, later told authorities she met Ms Ross through volunteer work in the city and last saw her at a Bible study meeting on July 12.
Days later, Ms Hall recalled hearing news of a body found in a derelict building in Athens. That night, she said she awoke with a ‘terrible’ feeling.
The following morning, Ms Hall sent Ms Ross a text message and received two replies further raising her suspicions.
In her testimony, Ms Hall said: ‘These messages were not in Lisa’s style, both in terms of her level of English and the use of emojis that she never used.’
Ahmadzai pictured with wife Alaina Hall. Authorities began probing Ahmadzai after Ms Hall allegedly reported her husband had been behaving suspiciously
Ms Hall then tried to call her friend, but never got a response.
She said she grew suspicious of her husband after she woke to find him missing on the evening of July 15, and, after checking his shared location, found he was at Ms Ross’s flat.
After confronting him, Ahmadzai claimed to be out watching a football match but had gone to Ms Ross’s apartment to use the bathroom.
‘I don’t know what to tell you, but all of the above made me feel strange. Especially combining the dates, the messages and my husband’s behaviour, I have various thoughts that make me feel uncomfortable,’ Ms Hall told police.
Authorities began probing Ahmadzai after Ms Hall allegedly reported her husband had been behaving suspiciously on July 30.
Detectives then discovered CCTV footage which allegedly shows him leaving the apartment where Ms Ross was staying with a suitcase and dropping it where her remains were found on July 16.
During his testimony, Ahmadzai claimed: ‘I never did harm to anyone. I want you to understand me and believe me. I was just in a panic.’
He said he visited the house where Ms Ross was staying, and found her lying on the bathroom floor.
CCTV footage allegedly shows Ahmadzai leaving the apartment where Ms Ross was staying with a suitcase and dropping it where her remains were found (Pictured: Ahmadzai on his way out of court)
‘[She] was spitting something like water out of her mouth. I spoke to her two or three times, but she didn’t respond. I froze. My legs went numb,’ he said.
Ahmadzai claimed he then panicked and left the house, where he encountered an elderly man near a bus stop. He reportedly asked the man what he should do after finding a dead body.
He said: ‘[The old man] told me that he worked with hospitals and he knows about them and what I should do is remove it from the house, or I will get into trouble. I sat and thought about what he told me for a few hours.’
He then admitted he returned to the apartment the following day, putting Ms Ross’s body in a black suitcase before placing it in the boot of the red Peugeot he was driving.
‘I started in the Peugeot, arrived near my house and parked it,’ he said, ‘I got out of the car, took the suitcase out of the trunk and walked to an abandoned building across from the Panhellenic University.
‘There I found the old man I told you about who gave me the advice. He told me to leave the suitcase with him, and he would take care of it.’
Ahmadzai told police he had taken Ms Ross’s phone and bank cards, with which he withdrew more than €10,000 from an ATM in Athens.
He continued: ‘In addition to Lisa’s cards, I also took her mobile phone. From that, I sent some messages to people close to her to reassure them that she was okay.
‘I don’t know what I was thinking. I wasn’t thinking clearly. I gave all the money I took out of Lisa’s cards to the old man because he was blackmailing me that he would tell everything to the police.
‘As far as I know, this old man’s name is Nikos, and he frequents the place where I left the suitcase.’
In August, Ahmadzai denied killing Ms Ross but claimed an ‘old man’ had persuaded him to move the body.
The Afghani reached the island of Lesvos in 2016. He then converted to Christianity and married US-born Christian Ms Hall in 2023 before they set up a ministry helping refugees in Athens.
