A retired Canadian police officer accused of acting as an agent for China has been acquitted of national security charges after a court found prosecutors failed to prove wrongdoing.

William Majcher, a former member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police financial crime unit, was charged in 2023 under the Security of Information Act. He was accused of assisting Chinese authorities in pressuring a Vancouver-area real estate investor, who was under fraud investigation, to return to China. Majcher was arrested in Vancouver the same year, with prosecutors alleging he used his professional network and knowledge to gather intelligence for the People’s Republic of China, News.Az reports, citing The Guardian.

A British Columbia Supreme Court judge ruled that the evidence presented was “entirely circumstantial” and said the Crown had “failed to meet its burden” of proof. The court concluded that the case against Majcher was not supported by sufficient evidence to establish illegal activity.

The case drew significant attention amid broader concerns in Canada over alleged foreign interference and reports of covert operations targeting dissidents. Authorities had suggested Majcher’s actions formed part of wider attempts by China to exert influence abroad, though the court ultimately rejected the allegations.

Following the verdict, Majcher said he was relieved by the outcome after years of legal proceedings, describing the experience as “devastating” for his family. His lawyer argued that the case relied heavily on suspicion rather than concrete evidence and suggested it reflected heightened political sensitivities surrounding China-related investigations.

News.Az 

By Leyla Şirinova