Harrowing surveillance video has captured the moment when the individual arrested in connection with the death of a British woman in Athens, Greece, was seen pushing a suitcase containing her remains through the city streets.
The disturbing footage shows Sharif Ahmadzai, 26, dragging the large black suitcase in the city center while wearing a black T-shirt and shorts and carrying a blue rucksack. The CCTV footage tracks his movements as he heads towards an abandoned building in Kypseli on July 16.
In the quiet neighborhood of central Athens, Ahmadzai allegedly abandoned the body of 38-year-old Elisabeth Jane Ross and the suitcase in the deserted building before fleeing the scene. Elisabeth, also known as Lisa, was discovered on July 18 by a homeless person who notified the authorities.
Following his arrest, Ahmadzai has been charged in relation to Lisa’s death, facing accusations of intentional homicide, robbery, and weapons offenses. While he admitted to transporting Lisa’s body in the suitcase to the police, he denies the murder allegations.
According to George Kalliakmanis, the honorary president of the police officers’ association in Athens, Ahmadzai confessed to moving her body to the site using a trolley and withdrawing money from ATMs with her credit cards. However, he denies the murder accusations, which the police are skeptical of.
Ahmadzai, an Afghan champion boxer who ran a refugee charity in Athens, arrived in Lesvos as a migrant in 2016 and married Alaina Hall in 2023. The couple, known for their refugee assistance ministry in Athens, had a connection with Elisabeth through their charitable work.
Initial reports suggest that Elisabeth died from asphyxiation, with an ongoing autopsy awaiting toxicology results to confirm the cause of death. Investigators revealed that Lisa arrived in Greece in late June and rented an apartment in Exarchia, where the accused allegedly had access to her residence.
Alaina Hall provided crucial evidence to the investigation, including location-sharing data placing her husband at Lisa’s apartment during the night of July 15. Alaina, suspecting Ahmadzai’s involvement in Lisa’s death, left their home with her child after Lisa’s identity became public.
During interrogation, Ahmadzai claimed to have found Lisa deceased in the apartment before disposing of her body in a suitcase the next night. However, police allege he used Lisa’s phone to impersonate her in messages, withdrew money with her bank cards, and possessed illegal weapons at his residence.
Ahmadzai’s background reveals a tragic history, with his family members dying in Taliban-related incidents before he immigrated to Greece and became a boxing champion. He is now facing legal proceedings for the charges against him and is set to appear before magistrates in Athens soon.