The Ashley Oosthuizen case, AKA the 22-year-old South African woman reportedly trapped in a Thai prison, caused a massive buzz in South Africa after it received public attention a few weeks ago. Although the arrest happened in 2020, the #FreeAshley movement only gained momentum last month.
For those who missed out on the widespread version of Ashley’s story, here’s a short summary. Ashley Oosthuizen, a young woman from George in the Western Cape, went over to Thailand when she was 19-years-old. She worked as a kindergarten teacher, but her travel and teaching experiences took a turn after she began working at her boyfriend’s restaurant, ‘Hot in the Biscuit’.
It was there that she ended up signing a package in October of 2020 that would lead to her arrest. The package reportedly contained MDMA, as part of a drug-shipping arrangement that her boyfriend was allegedly behind. Using the Facebook name ‘Triss Nepps’ initially, someone claiming to be the boyfriend had confessed to being an “international dark web drug dealer” and pleaded Ashley’s innocence, as per the George Herald. It is alleged that Ashley had no knowledge that the package contained drugs. In a lengthy statement referenced by the George Herald, the person claiming to be the boyfriend said they were Tristan Nettles.
‘Making it right’ or red flags in the case?
However, the story as a whole appears to be far more complex and open-ended than what is being reported. The biggest ‘red flag’ in the case? A lot of the information about it appears to have come from Nettles directly and indirectly – via a media statement and the www.freeashley.org website respectively. It may have been perceived that Nettles or perhaps the person claiming to be him, was attempting to ‘make the situation right,’ but after the www.freeashley.org website was reportedly discovered to be connected to him, alarm bells were raised.
This ‘discovery’ implied that the donation proceeds could’ve been for his profit. Ashley’s family have since called for people not to donate to the website, which was taken down but is back up again at the time of this article’s writing.
Ashley’s mother, Lynn Blignaut reportedly asked that “donations only be made to an official trust fund account once the family has finished settling it up,” as per a local media publication in Thailand, The Thaiger. This request was also mentioned by George Herald.
Upon further investigation, the backup and running .org website references the trust fund too.
“Donate to Ashley’s legal fund soon, it is being set up and run by her mother, Lynette Blignaut,” the bottom of the website reads.
Also read:#FreeAshley – family urges people not to donate to .org campaign
What were Ashley’s official charges?
According to Bangkok Post, Ashley was arrested in Surat Thani’s Koh Samui district “on charges of smuggling and possessing more than 20 grammes of MDMA.” Initially, she was to receive the death penalty, but this has been adjusted to a life sentence. This sentence was confirmed by The Thaiger.
Case developments: Ashley might be eligible for royal pardon and her family is working on an appeal
According to The Thaiger, Ashley’s family are working on an appeal. In terms of extradition, authorities “cited the lack of an extradition treaty between the two countries,” as Bangkok Post reports, in reference to South Africa and Thailand.
Of the case, Bangkok Post references Thawatchai Chaiyawat, deputy director-general of the Department of Corrections who reportedly said Ashley is eligible to be considered for a royal pardon.
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Picture: Cape {town} Etc gallery