Long way from innocent childhood days in Lydenburg to Thailand prison

A campaign to have Ashley Oosthuizen released from a life sentence in a Thailand prison for drug possession, went viral earlier this week.

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Oosthuizen was a pupil of Laerskool Lydenburg from 2007 to 2011, after which she moved with her mother to George in the Western Cape.

A school friend, who wishes to remain anonymous, said Oosthuizen had been an excellent netball player at school.

The friend said Oosthuizen has been a kind and caring friend over the years. Her father, André Oosthuizen, had been a well-known businessman in Lydenburg, and had managed a franchised grocery store.

Lynn Blignaut, Ashley’s mother, said her daughter’s welfare is her main concern and she will not give up hope until she has been released and is safely back home.

Ashley started travelling abroad at 18, shortly after she had matriculated from Outeniqua High School in George. Her first destination was Thailand and she had the opportunity to be a preschool teacher in Koh Samui.

“We believe Ashley received a package containing 250 grams of MDMA (ecstasy). Her American boyfriend (32) was allegedly involved. Ashley was not aware that a package she had received, allegedly on his behalf, contained the MDMA. Her boyfriend is under investigation for international drug trafficking. Ashley received the death penalty after her arrest on October 8, 2020. It was overturned into life imprisonment on August 18, 2021. In Thailand it is a maximum sentence of 25 years,” said Lizelle Martin, André’s legal representative.

Martin confirmed the case is under appeal,  but has been delayed due to Covid-19.  

George Herald, Steelburger/Lydenburg News’ sister publication, reported that Ashley’s former boyfriend had sent it a letter.

He has since disappeared and is believed to be in hiding in the United States.  

In the letter he confirmed that Ashley is innocent and had known nothing about the MDMA.

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The letter has since been widely shared on social media. Lunga Ngqengelele, the spokesperson for the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco), told George Herald that the department and the South African Embassy in Bangkok are assisting the Oosthuizen family.

A Facebook group, “Justice for Ashley Oosthuizen”, is being widely shared by her friends on social media.

Readers are invited to join it.