Mother speaks after SA teacher arrested in Thailand
Lynn Blignaut, the mother of Ashley Oosthuizen, spoke to Breakfast with Martin Bester after her daughter was jailed in Thailand on drug-related charges, despite a confession by her former lover that he’s responsible for the drugs.
Young kindergarten teacher from George in the Western Cape, Ashley Oosthuizen, 23, was jailed after she allegedly signed for a package not knowing that it contained drugs.
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Oosthuizen went to Thailand in March 2018 to start a job as a teacher, but she was let go from the post and started working at a restaurant owned by her then-boyfriend, Tristan Nettles.
In 2020, however, Oosthuizen's island life changed when she was arrested by Thai police and sentenced to death for drug offences. The sentence has since been changed to life behind bars.
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Oosthuizen signed for a package on behalf of her boyfriend, according to her family. She was arrested and has been in jail ever since.
According to her family, her boyfriend should be behind bars instead, since he allegedly ran a drug operation without her knowledge.
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Her mother, Lynne Blignaut, explained how he was now vouching for her innocence.
"It seems that Tristan has been living a double-life as a drug dealer. He apparently moved and it's unknown where he is currently."
Self-confessed drug smuggler Tristan Nettles has issued a compassionate plea for her release - saying she was an innocent victim.
"I trust God that she will be home soon."
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