Lynn Blignaut Ashley Oosthuizen Thailand

Ashley Oosthuizen from George in the Western Cape. Image via Twitter/@noujouhaan.

Lynn Blignaut not allowed to see SA daughter sentenced in Thailand

Lynn Blignaut said she was not allowed to see her daughter, Ashley Oosthuizen who is serving a life sentence in Thailand for drug smuggling.

Lynn Blignaut Ashley Oosthuizen Thailand

Ashley Oosthuizen from George in the Western Cape. Image via Twitter/@noujouhaan.

Despite travelling halfway across the world to see her daughter, Lynn Blignaut, did not see Ashley Oosthuizen who was sentenced to life imprisonment for drug smuggling in Thailand. 

Ashley Oosthuizen from George in the Western Cape was arrested by Thai police in October 2020. She was sentenced to death, this was then  commuted to life imprisonment for drug smuggling. 

BACKGROUND INTO ASHLEY OOSTHUIZEN’S ARREST

As previously reported, after matriculating in 2017, Oosthuizen moved to Thailand in March 2018 to do a Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) course.

Oosthuizen lost her job during the Covid-19 pandemic and her American boyfriend ,35, offered her a job at his restaurant. While working at the restaurant she had accepted and signed for a package containing the drug MDMA. She was subsequently reportedly arrested on October 8, 2020, by Thailand police. 

Lynn Blignaut Ashley Oosthuizen Thailand
Ashley Oosthuizen (wearing mustard top) with her friends. Photo: Supplied.

LYNN BLIGNAUT NOT ALLOWED TO SEE HER DAUGHTER 

Blignaut went to visit her daughter in the Nakhon Si Thammarat Central Prison in Thailand recently and was only allowed to gift Oosthuizen with two books, a Bible. 

Blignaut told Rekord that due to Covid-19 restrictions at the time, she could not see her daughter, however, she is doing well. 

“Ashley needs to plead guilty and then spend a minimum of four years in prison and after that she can apply for a royal pardon,” she explained. 

The 22-year-old reportedly refused to plead guilty and insists that she is innocent. 

Blignaut said in the meantime her daughter has learnt to speak and write fluent Thai and is also giving cha-cha lessons in prison. 

Earlier this year, Blignaut said they trust the Lord and that He is sustaining Oosthuizen and also providing for her. 

“I really do miss her, terribly. It just became even more real now, since there is so much coverage on her. It still feels sometimes that it’s not my daughter having to go through this. It is hard to accept it,” she said. 

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