Lead

Sharif Ahmadzai, a 26-year-old Afghan boxer, appeared in court in Athens on Thursday for a second time, facing charges of intentional homicide, robbery, and weapons offences in connection with the death of Elisabeth Ross, a 38-year-old Scottish aid worker. Ross was found dead in a suitcase in an abandoned building in the Kypseli area of Athens on July 18, after being discovered by a homeless man.

Ahmadzai, who was initially detained on illegal weapons possession charges, has been accused of stealing more than €10,000 from Ross's bank accounts using her bank cards. Greek officials have said he admitted to moving her body but denied the homicide allegations.

Coverage Comparison

Reporting from the BBC and The Guardian offers overlapping details but also some differences in focus and scope. The BBC's account centres on Ahmadzai's court appearance, noting that he arrived in an unmarked grey car and was not pictured. It also mentions that on Wednesday he was assigned a court-appointed lawyer and given time to prepare his defence.

The Guardian's coverage is more investigative, focusing on the police inquiry into Ross's final hours and the possible motive. It cites George Kalliakmanis, honorary president of the police officers' association in Athens, who said the homicide division was intent on discovering the motive behind "the murder" because Ahmadzai continued to deny any role in it, despite having confessed to hiding Ross in a suitcase.

Both outlets report that Ahmadzai admitted to moving the body, but The Guardian adds that he also confessed to withdrawing €10,000 from ATMs using Ross's credit cards. The BBC reports the same theft amount but does not mention an admission to the ATM withdrawals, only that he faces allegations of stealing the money.

Key Claims

  • Ross was found dead in a suitcase in an abandoned building in Athens, discovered by a homeless man on July 18.
  • Ahmadzai, 26, faces charges of intentional homicide (equivalent to murder in Scots law), robbery, and weapons offences.
  • He admitted to moving the body but denied the homicide allegations.
  • He was initially detained on illegal weapons possession charges.
  • Police have CCTV footage of Ahmadzai carrying the body on the night of July 16, according to George Kalliakmanis, as reported by The Guardian.
  • Ahmadzai confessed to withdrawing €10,000 from ATMs using Ross's credit cards, per the same source.
  • Ross's phone was used for several days after her death to send "deliberately misleading" text messages, according to The Guardian's reporting.
  • Ahmadzai's wife, Alaina Hall, played a "significant role" in the investigation, as reported by The Guardian.
  • Ahmadzai is believed to have arrived in Greece as a child refugee via Lesbos about ten years ago, and he had keys to the flat where he and Hall ran a refugee solidarity group, Love Every Nation, as reported by The Guardian.

Perspectives

Greek police (via George Kalliakmanis): The police believe Ahmadzai is lying about his denial of murder, given his admissions about moving the body and using the credit cards, and they are focusing on the victim's last hours to establish a motive.

The suspect (via Greek officials and police statements): Ahmadzai admits to moving the body and to using the victim's bank cards but denies any role in the killing itself.