A Greek judge ordered Afghan boxer Sharif Ahmadzai held pending trial on August 6 after prosecutors charged him over the death of Scottish aid worker Elizabeth-Jane Ross. The 26-year-old faces charges of intentional homicide, robbery and weapons offenses, according to British media reports from Athens.
Ahmadzai denies killing Ross but acknowledges moving her body after finding her on a bathroom floor, the reports said. His account and the prosecution's allegations have not been tested at trial, and no trial date had been announced.
The court proceedings moved the case beyond the investigation
Police arrested Ahmadzai on August 2 after examining surveillance footage that investigators said showed a man moving a large, dark suitcase. He appeared in court on August 5 and returned the next day, when a judge ordered him detained pending trial.
Media reports said Ahmadzai did not enter a plea during the hearing. His lawyer has requested access to Ross's medical records as part of the defense case.
British media reports said Greek investigators allege that Ahmadzai used Ross's bank card after her death. The Irish Times reported before Ahmadzai's arrest that Ross's phone remained operational until her identification became public, but that report did not identify who had used it.
Ross was identified 11 days after her body was found
Ross, 38, was born in Scotland and had been staying with friends in Athens. The Irish Times reported that she arrived in Greece from Cyprus on June 29 and was last seen by friends on July 15.
A homeless man found the suitcase in an abandoned building in the central Athens district of Kypseli on July 18 and alerted police. Greek investigators initially found no match for Ross's fingerprints in domestic databases.
Greek homicide officers then submitted the fingerprints to Interpol, while US authorities provided DNA evidence that helped identify Ross on July 29. The same report said UK officials were providing consular support to her family and were in contact with Greek authorities.
Key claims remain allegations
The detention decision allows the Greek criminal proceedings to continue while Ahmadzai remains in custody. It does not establish that he committed any of the charged offenses.
APPI News could not retrieve a full statement or charging document from a Greek judicial authority at the time of writing. The account of the charges, Ahmadzai's response and the August hearings therefore relies on British media reports from Athens, while the earlier identification timeline is supported by reporting published before his arrest.
Frequently asked questions
What charges does Ahmadzai face?
British media reports said Greek prosecutors charged him with intentional homicide, robbery and weapons offenses. The precise charging document was not available in the public sources reviewed by APPI News.
How has Ahmadzai responded?
He denies killing Ross but acknowledges moving her body after finding her on a bathroom floor, according to the reports. His account has not been tested in court.
How was Ross identified?
Greek investigators sent her fingerprints to Interpol after domestic searches produced no match. US authorities also supplied DNA evidence, and police confirmed her identity on July 29.
Sources and further reading
- Man charged with murder of Scottish woman in Athens remanded in custody（ITV News）The verification environment could not retrieve this page directly, so no inline link is used.
- Afghan boxer accused of murdering Scottish woman remains silent before judge（STV News）The verification environment could not retrieve this page directly, so no inline link is used.
- Body found in suitcase in Athens is that of 38-year-old British woman（The Irish Times）
