A man accused of killing a British charity worker and stuffing her body in a suitcase posted social media rants about "corruption wearing a Christian mask", it has emerged. Sharif Ahmadzai, 26, is suspected of murdering Elisabeth-Jane Ross, an aid worker originally from Edinburgh, in Athens. He will appear in court in the Greek capital on Wednesday.
Social media posts and charity background
Ahmadzai, a champion boxer, converted to Christianity after meeting his now wife Alaina Hall through charity work. Together, they run a charity called Love Every Nation, which supports homeless people and refugees in Athens. Since May last year, Ahmadzai posted a series of rants on Facebook criticising Christian NGOs he encountered on Lesvos, Greece.
In one post, he wrote: "Shame on corruption dressed like charity. Shame on business wearing the name of Christ. In the name of Christ, people are being used. Volunteers, students, churches, and families from America and Europe are giving their time, money, and trust but many of them never stop to ask the most important question: 'Where is the money really going?'"
He added: "When an NGO charges volunteers hundreds of euros for 'registration,' takes cash for housing, places 15 or 16 people in apartments meant for one or two, and collects far more than the real cost that is not ministry. That is business. And when vulnerable refugee stories are used to raise money while the real support goes into private pockets, that is not the work of Christ. That is corruption wearing a Christian mask."
Discovery of the body and arrest
Ms Ross's body was found by a homeless man in an abandoned building in Athens on July 18. CCTV footage, which emerged this week, appears to show Ahmadzai wheeling a suitcase through the city centre, which is said to have contained her body. Ahmadzai was arrested after police collaborated with the UK's National Crime Agency and Police Scotland.
Her mobile phone, which had been off for days, was suddenly switched on earlier this week, and police traced it to a residence where Ahmadzai was staying. George Kalliakmanis, honorary president of the police officers' association in Athens, said: "He has admitted to carrying her body in a trolley to the site. Police have CCTV footage of him doing this on the night of July 16. He has also confessed to withdrawing €10,000 [£8,500] from ATMs using credit cards that belonged to her. But he has denied murder, which police do not believe."
Family reactions and tributes
Ms Hall, who is US-born and reportedly friends with Ms Ross, was helpful to detectives. She reported Ahmadzai behaving suspiciously and checked his phone location, which allegedly showed him at Ms Ross's apartment. Ms Hall's aunt, Leanne Hall, told the Daily Mail: "I've never met him, I've only heard about him. But I can tell you my brother and sister-in-law never wanted them to get married."
Ms Ross, known as Lisa, had volunteered in Greece for seven years, including with the One Heart organisation, which provides medical support to refugees. Her aunt, Anne Bangham, said: "It is horrific. She was such a beautiful, loving and kind young lady. She had not long arrived there to work."
Senior pastors at Destiny Church, Edinburgh, where Ms Ross was a member, paid tribute. Andrew and Sue Owen said: "Lisa will always be remembered for her unstoppable passion to help those who were less fortunate than herself." Pastor Peter Anderson of City on a Hill church, where she was a member for 20 years, said: "We have lost a precious church member, Lisa. She was a member of our church for 20 years, and a very, very precious girl, and it's a real tragic loss."
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office said: "Our thoughts are with Elisabeth's family during this difficult time. We are providing consular support and are in contact with the local authorities." A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "We are aware of the death of a Scottish woman in Athens and are liaising with authorities in Greece. Officers are providing support to her family in Scotland."
