A man accused of killing a Scottish aid worker in Athens and disposing of her body has appeared in court charged with homicide with intent.
The 26-year-old is accused of killing Elisabeth-Jane Ross, 38, who was discovered by a homeless man in a derelict building in the Kypseli area of the Greek capital on July 18.
Internal Greek reports refer to the suspect by the initials “SA”, but it has been established he is Sharif Ahmadzai, an Afghan boxer who left his home country after being orphaned as a teenager.
Ahmadzai arrived at the Court of First Instance in Athens at about 10.40am local time on Thursday, in the back of a grey Hyundai car with blacked-out windows.
Ahmadzai’s lawyer Christos Erdas confirmed his client did not speak during Thursday’s hearing, and that he did not submit a plea in relation to any of the three charges he faces.
He was initially detained on illegal weapons possession charges but is now facing a charge of homicide with intent, as well as allegations that he stole more than 10,000 euro (£8,500) from Ms Ross’s bank accounts using her bank cards.
Homicide with intent is understood to be equivalent to a murder charge in Scotland.
Mr Erdas said further medical evidence is needed before his client will be in a position to tender a plea – including official confirmation of how Ms Ross died.
He also said the defence put in a request for Ms Ross’s medical records to be obtained from the UK as part of the case.
The judge ordered Ahmadzai to be kept in pre-trial detention in the meantime, ahead of another hearing at a future date.
The 26-year-old was then escorted back into the car by masked officers shortly before 2pm, before being driven off the premises.
The court complex is located on the city’s Evelpidon Street, a short walk from the derelict building where the charity worker’s body was found.
Floral tributes have been placed on the ground next to the structure, with one card containing the words “Elisabeth-Jane Ross. Rest in peace” written in Greek.
Police said the suspect was detained for questioning after investigators reviewed surveillance camera footage recorded nearby.
After allegedly killing Ms Ross, Ahmadzai is accused of sending a series of messages from her phone to her friends and family before switching off the device.
He is then said to have bought another phone and texted her friends in Athens, including his wife, impersonating an unnamed jihadist saying he had killed the Scot because of her religion, Greek newspapers Proto Thema and Ta Nea reported.
The newspapers said his wife, a US citizen named Alaina Hall, told the police she suspected her husband’s involvement in the killing when she woke up to find he was not in their apartment and tracked his phone to where Ms Ross was staying.
On Wednesday, the local outlet reported that Hall provided testimony to authorities regarding her husband, who is currently remanded in custody.
Proto Thema said that in her statement Hall said she woke around midnight on July 15 and realised her husband was not at home. Using his phone’s location, she discovered he was at an apartment on Rethymnou Street.
According to reports, when she called him he claimed he had been watching a football match at a cafe in Victoria Square and had only stopped by the apartment to use the bathroom.
Proto Thema said Ahmadzai’s wife also described the couple’s sudden decision to leave Athens on July 18. According to her, her husband appeared extremely distressed, claiming he had learned that a relative in India had died.
He allegedly told Hall that he wanted to clear his mind and asked her to go with him to Arachova, which appears to reference to a mountain town in Greece a two-hour drive from Athens”
Ms Ross is believed to have died a number of days before she was found, during which time temperatures reached 36C.
Authorities were able to identify her using fingerprints.
Ms Ross, who is understood to be from Edinburgh, entered Greece on June 26 and was initially staying with friends in Piraeus, a port area of Athens.
She is then said to have gone to meet American friends in another part of the Greek capital, but it is unclear if this ever happened.
Authorities are awaiting the results of tissue analysis to determine whether she died from suffocation, as suggested by a preliminary assessment by the medical examiner.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office said earlier: “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 previously 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.”
In a statement released to some media outlets, Ms Ross’s family said: “Lisa will always be remembered by us as kind, principled and selfless.
“Her integrity was absolute and she dedicated her life to helping others in need.
“We are in deep pain and we ask for time and privacy as we come to terms with our loss.”
