A man accused of killing a British charity worker in Athens has been charged and is due to appear in court on Monday. Sharif Ahmadzai, 26, allegedly murdered Elisabeth-Jane Ross, known as Lisa, and concealed her body in a suitcase, which was later discovered in an abandoned building in Athens on July 18.

Ahmadzai and Ross were connected through their volunteer work with charities supporting homeless people and refugees in the city. Ross, originally from Edinburgh, had frequently traveled to Greece as an aid worker, while Ahmadzai, an Afghan national who converted to Christianity after meeting his American wife, Alaina Hall, runs a charity called Love Every Nation alongside her.

According to authorities, CCTV footage shows Ahmadzai pushing a trolley containing the suitcase with Ross’s body through Athens city center. Greek police arrested Ahmadzai after coordinating with the UK’s National Crime Agency and Police Scotland. The investigations also involved locating Ross’s mobile phone, which was off for several days before being switched on at a residence where Ahmadzai was staying.

George Kalliakmanis, honorary president of the police officers’ association in Athens, confirmed that Ahmadzai acknowledged transporting the body to the abandoned building. He also admitted to withdrawing €10,000 from ATMs using credit cards registered to Ross but denies committing the murder. Ahmadzai’s wife reportedly assisted police by reporting suspicious behavior and identifying Ahmadzai’s phone location at Ross’s apartment shortly before her death.

In addition to the murder charge, details of Ahmadzai’s social media activity have emerged, revealing critical posts about Christian charities. Since May of last year, Ahmadzai reportedly posted messages condemning what he described as “corruption wearing a Christian mask” within non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that he had encountered during his volunteer work on the Greek island of Lesvos. He accused some charities of exploiting volunteers and refugees for profit, questioning the management of funds and accountability.

Ahmadzai, who arrived in Greece as a teenager and volunteered at the Moria refugee camp between 2016 and 2019, shared images of T-shirts bearing the slogan “Boycott corrupt NGOs” and highlighted concerns about the treatment of refugees and misuse of donations.

Ross’s family has been receiving assistance from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office as investigations continue. Senior pastors at Edinburgh’s Destiny Church, where Ross was a member, paid tribute to her dedication, describing her as someone committed to making a positive impact through her aid work.