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22 year old South African Ashley Oosthuizen was sentenced to death In Thailand for drug trafficking and she is now serving a life term in a Thai prison for a crime she did not commit.
Her father from the Southern Cape Town says his family is fighting “vigorously” to prove his daughter’s innocence as she faces life in jail in Thailand for alleged worldwide drug trafficking.
Ashley Oosthuizen, 22, of George, relocated to Thailand after graduating in 2018 and being offered a job as a kindergarten teacher on the island of Koh Samui.
She is claimed to have met a 32-year-old American teacher Tristan Nettles there, who quickly became her boyfriend.
Ashley had started working at his restaurant when a parcel was delivered on October 8, 2020,which was reportedly drafted by the lover, according to a letter written from Ashley’s father, Andre Oosthuizen,
The parcel contained MDMA, leading to her arrest.
Tristan Nettles, who is originally from Florida and Atlanta, Georgia, has admitted to the crime.
Tristan Nettles was a high school science teacher at Panyadee International School on Koh Samui from 2017 to the summer of 2020. He was an international dark web drug dealer.
“Then they took her away to some black box interrogation dungeon somewhere on the island where she was interrogated under threat of harm and without the presence of a lawyer or interpreter, and where she was then forced to sign documents written in Thai that later turned out to be a confession of her guilt,” the alleged letter from the boyfriend read.
The arrest, according to Andre, came as a huge surprise to the family.
“She is a lovely child who can make friends with anyone and has no criminal background.” “She was raised in a highly regimented household,” he explained.
Lizelle Martin, Andre’s legal attorney, stated that Ashley received a death penalty sentence that was commuted to life in prison on August 18, 2021.
The arrest, according to Andre, came as a huge surprise to the family.
“She is a lovely child who can make friends with anyone and has no criminal background.” “She was raised in a highly regimented household,” he explained.
Ashley received a death penalty sentence, which was commuted to life in prison on August 18, 2021, according to Andre’s legal lawyer, Lizelle Martin.
She stated that they had filed an appeal.
“Ashley filed an appeal with the Court of Appeals. Due to Covid-19 limits and the Thai legal system, the appeal could take up to 18 months.
“I am really optimistic about the appeal and believe that justice will be served and Ashley will be set free for a crime he did not commit.”
“Ms Oosthuizen has been transferred from Koh Samui Prison to the Central Prison in Nakhon Si Thammarat” (south of Thailand). On December 29, 2021, she was transferred to Nakhon Si Thammarat Central Prison and quarantined for three weeks. Ashley can now only receive a 10-minute video conversation with direct access.
The arrest, according to Andre, came as a huge surprise to the family.
“She is a lovely child who can make friends with anyone and has no criminal background.” “She was raised in a highly regimented household,” he explained.
“We are battling hard to prove Ashley’s innocence,” Martin stated. Ashley is still a child; she is entirely alone, although being only 22 years old. Of course, it’s a horrible experience for her family, but everyone is optimistic about her eventual release.”
Lunga Ngqengelele, a spokesperson for the Government of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco), said the department was aware of Oosthuizen’s detention in Thailand.
“Both the department and the South African Embassy in Bangkok are providing her and her family with the necessary consular assistance.”
“Due to the sensitivity and respect for both individual and family rights, Dirco exclusively communicates with the detainee and designated family members regarding South African citizens detained abroad,” he explained.
Lunga Ngqengelele, a spokesperson for the Government of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco), said the department was aware of Oosthuizen’s detention in Thailand.
“In the case of SA citizens detained overseas, Dirco solely interacts with the inmate and designated family members.”
“Due to the consular privacy our clients are entitled to, we do not respond to e-mails and posts originating from social media campaigns involving individuals arrested abroad.”
They say that there was sufficient evidence to prove her innocence.
21 year old Ashley Oosthuizen received death penalty/Now life sentence in Thai prison for a crime she did not commit.
Her Boyfriend Tristan Nettles is originally from Florida US & Atlanta, Georgia who has confessed to the crime.Please share!#freeashley— Suane (@Suanebotha) February 16, 2022
Ashley Oosthuizen traveled to Thailand after graduating in 2018 and appears to have found work as a teacher.
However, she is now serving a life sentence in that country on narcotics charges.
Clayson Monyela, a representative for the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, confirmed that Oosthuizen was apprehended in Thailand.
“The department, as well as the South African Embassy in Bangkok, are providing her and her family in South Africa with the standard consular assistance available in such circumstances,” Monyela said.
“The South African Government is not in a position to intervene in any legal elements, court proceedings, or judicial processes in another nation,” he stated.
According to IOL, Oosthuizen received a death penalty sentence for worldwide drug trafficking, which was commuted to life in prison on August 18, 2021.
The family has requested an appeal.
A petition to assist in the liberation of After her suffering was recently brought to light, Oosthuizen’s plea is gathering traction under the hashtag #FreeAshley. For a narcotics offense, Oosthuizen received the death punishment, which was eventually commuted to life in prison.
Friends and relatives argue Ashley was wrongfully imprisoned and that her boyfriend at the time, who supposedly fled Thailand and is now back in his native nation of the United States, should be in prison.
A post supposedly made by her boyfriend has gone viral in which he admits to being a drug smuggler while claiming Ashley is innocent.
Dirco stated in a statement that our government is not in a position to intervene in any legal elements, court hearings, or judicial processes in another country.
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