An Afghan boxer accused of killing a British charity worker in Athens has told police that he found the victim already dead and was advised by an elderly man to dispose of her body in a suitcase. Sharif Ahmadzai, 26, appeared in an Athens court on August 5 facing charges of murder and theft involving Elisabeth-Jane Ross, 38, whose body was discovered in July.

According to a statement Ahmadzai gave to Greek police, he found Ross, whom he referred to as "Lisa," unresponsive and lying on a bathroom floor on the evening of July 15, apparently spitting fluid. He said he spoke to her several times but she did not respond. Ahmadzai said he left the property—an apartment linked to an NGO he co-runs with his wife—and sought advice at a nearby bus stop from an older man on what to do if he discovered a dead body. The man allegedly told him to remove the body or face trouble. Ahmadzai claimed he returned the following day, placed Ross’s body in a suitcase, and handed it over to the man, who demanded money for disposing of it. He said he used funds taken from Ross’s bank accounts to pay the man, whom he identified as Nikos.

The prosecution disputes this version, asserting that Ahmadzai murdered Ross and that the old man does not exist. Prosecutors have highlighted evidence suggesting Ahmadzai’s suspicious behavior, including leaving the property in the early hours of July 16 and being tracked to Ross’s residence via a location-sharing app. Ross’s wife, Hall, provided authorities with information indicating Ahmadzai gave her thousands of euros and a new iPhone, believed to be purchased with stolen money from Ross’s accounts.

Ahmadzai’s background was also discussed during the hearing. Having fled Afghanistan in 2016 via Pakistan, Iran, and Turkey, he arrived in Greece and later converted to Christianity in 2017. He married a U.S. citizen in 2023; the couple founded an NGO, Love Every Nation, focused on helping refugees in Athens. The victim, Ross, was reportedly connected to their NGO work and was staying at the flat to which Ahmadzai had access. Their son was born in April 2026.

A competitive boxer, Ahmadzai won a Greek super lightweight title in March and conducted boxing classes to fundraise for the NGO. During the court appearance, he was escorted by armed officers and wore casual clothing. His defense lawyer, Christos Erdas, declined to comment on the accuracy of Ahmadzai’s statement and requested an adjournment to prepare the defense, which was granted. The hearing was scheduled to continue on August 6.