An Afghan migrant accused of murdering British aid worker Elisabeth Jane Ross and concealing her body in a suitcase has reportedly been physically assaulted by fellow inmates in a Greek jail. Sharif Ahmadzai, 26, is being held at Korydallos Prison in Athens, awaiting trial on charges of homicide with intent, robbery, and illegal gun possession.
According to a custodial source cited by The Sun, Ahmadzai was labeled a "lady killer" by other prisoners shortly after his arrival at the facility. He was allegedly "subject to a fierce attack and was badly beaten up" by inmates who disapprove of those accused of such crimes, requiring him to be taken to the prison infirmary.
Ross, 38, a volunteer who worked with refugees and vulnerable groups in Athens, was found dead in a suitcase in the Greek capital on July 18. Ahmadzai was arrested in connection with her death after his wife, Alaina Hall, reportedly grew suspicious of his behavior following Ross's disappearance. Hall told authorities that the messages she received from Ross's phone after her disappearance were not in Ross's usual style and that she had discovered her husband had been at Ross's apartment.
CCTV footage allegedly shows Ahmadzai leaving the apartment where Ross was staying with a suitcase and later discarding it in an abandoned building, where her remains were found. Ahmadzai has denied killing Ross, claiming an unknown elderly man persuaded him to move the body. He also alleged that he took Ross's phone and bank cards and withdrew over €10,000, which he gave to the man as part of a blackmail scheme.
Ahmadzai, a boxer, moved to Athens with his American wife, Hall, in 2016. He converted to Christianity and married Hall in 2023. The couple had established a ministry to assist refugees in the city. Ross, originally from Edinburgh, had been volunteering in Athens since June 26, working with a Christian-based NGO assisting refugees.
Korydallos Prison, where Ahmadzai is being held, is described as Greece's largest jail and is known for overcrowding and harsh conditions. The alleged attack highlights the volatile environment within the facility, which has been described as one of Europe's toughest.