An Afghan man awaiting trial over the death of British aid worker Elisabeth Jane Ross has reportedly been seriously assaulted by fellow inmates inside Greece’s largest prison.
Sharif Ahmadzai, 26, is being held at Korydallos Prison after being charged with intentional homicide, robbery and illegal possession of a firearm in connection with the death of Ross, 38, whose body was discovered inside a suitcase in an abandoned Athens building on July 18.
Ahmadzai denies killing Ross, although he has admitted moving her body and using her bank cards following her death.
Ahmadzai Reportedly Attacked Shortly After Entering Prison
According to a custodial source cited by The Sun, Ahmadzai was targeted by other inmates not long after arriving at Korydallos Prison in August.
The source claimed prisoners had learned about the accusations against him and subjected him to a severe beating, after which he reportedly required treatment at the prison infirmary.
Ahmadzai had allegedly been branded a “lady killer” by inmates because of the case against him.
Korydallos, located near Athens, is Greece’s largest prison and has faced longstanding criticism over overcrowding and detention conditions.
British Aid Worker Found Dead Weeks After Arriving in Athens
Ross, who was from Edinburgh, regularly traveled to Greece and volunteered with organizations supporting refugees, homeless people and other vulnerable communities, particularly people from Afghanistan and Iran.
She arrived in Athens on June 26 and initially stayed with Greek friends in the Keratsini district before moving to accommodation on Rethymnou Street in central Athens on July 2.
Ross was volunteering with a Christian organization assisting refugees at the time of her death.
Approximately two weeks later, her body was discovered inside a suitcase left in an abandoned building.
Wife’s Suspicions Helped Trigger Police Investigation
Authorities began focusing on Ahmadzai after his American wife, Alaina Hall, provided information to investigators about what she considered suspicious behavior following Ross’s disappearance.
Hall knew Ross through their volunteer activities and said she had last seen her at a Bible study gathering on July 12.
After learning that a body had been discovered in a derelict Athens building, Hall reportedly sent Ross a text message and received two responses that immediately struck her as unusual.
Hall later told investigators that the language and emojis used in the messages did not resemble the way Ross normally communicated.
Shared Location Allegedly Placed Ahmadzai at Ross’s Apartment
Hall’s concerns reportedly increased after she discovered her husband was absent during the evening of July 15.
According to her testimony, a shared-location service indicated that Ahmadzai was at Ross’s apartment.
When confronted, Ahmadzai allegedly said he had gone out to watch football and had visited Ross’s residence only to use the bathroom.
Hall subsequently approached authorities, telling investigators that the combination of the dates, unusual messages and her husband’s behavior had left her deeply uncomfortable.
Police began investigating Ahmadzai following her report on July 30.
CCTV Allegedly Shows Suitcase Being Removed From Apartment
Investigators later obtained surveillance footage that prosecutors allege shows Ahmadzai leaving the property where Ross had been staying with a suitcase.
Authorities claim the footage subsequently links him to the location where Ross’s remains were discovered on July 16.
Ahmadzai has denied responsibility for killing her.
During questioning, he claimed he went to Ross’s accommodation and discovered her unresponsive on the bathroom floor.
He told investigators that he panicked after realizing something was seriously wrong.
Suspect Admits Moving Ross’s Body
Although denying homicide, Ahmadzai acknowledged that he returned to the apartment the following day and placed Ross’s body inside a black suitcase.
He told police that he transported the suitcase in a red Peugeot before taking it to an abandoned building.
Ahmadzai claimed an unidentified older man had advised him to remove the body from the apartment to avoid becoming implicated in Ross’s death.
According to his account, the same man later agreed to deal with the suitcase.
Investigators have not publicly confirmed Ahmadzai’s version of events involving the unidentified individual.
More Than €10,000 Allegedly Withdrawn Using Ross’s Cards
Ahmadzai also admitted taking Ross’s mobile phone and bank cards.
He told investigators he withdrew more than €10,000 using the cards and used Ross’s phone to send messages to people close to her in an attempt to convince them she was safe.
Ahmadzai claimed he eventually handed the withdrawn money to the older man because the individual was threatening to report what had happened to police.
He identified the man only as “Nikos” and claimed he regularly visited the area where the suitcase was abandoned.
Murder Suspect Maintains He Panicked After Finding Body
Ahmadzai has repeatedly denied killing Ross and has instead portrayed his subsequent actions as the result of panic and poor decisions after discovering her body.
“I never did harm to anyone,” he told investigators, insisting that his behavior following the discovery should not be interpreted as evidence that he committed the killing.
Prosecutors nevertheless charged him with intentional homicide, robbery and illegal gun possession, and he was remanded in custody pending trial.
Ahmadzai Had Worked With Refugees in Athens
Ahmadzai, a boxer originally from Afghanistan, reportedly arrived on the Greek island of Lesvos in 2016.
He later converted to Christianity and married Hall, an American Christian, in 2023.
The couple subsequently established a ministry in Athens focused on assisting refugees — work that eventually brought Hall into contact with Ross.
The connection between the families would later become central to the investigation after Hall approached police with her concerns about her husband’s behavior.
Prison Assault Adds New Development to High-Profile Case
Ahmadzai now remains incarcerated at Korydallos while awaiting trial over Ross’s death.
The reported attack inside the prison represents the latest development in a case that has attracted attention in both Britain and Greece because of Ross’s humanitarian work and the unusual circumstances surrounding the discovery of her body.
While Ahmadzai has admitted moving Ross’s remains, taking her property and sending messages from her phone, he continues to deny killing her. The homicide accusation remains to be determined through the Greek judicial process.
