An arrest warrant issued for a former RCMP detachment commander was vacated the same day it was issued after the man’s lawyer notified court staff about an apparent mix-up.
The warrant was issued Thursday afternoon after Stuart Seib failed to make an appearance in provincial court as required. His lawyer was not in court either.
Kamloops Crown lawyers said Friday the man’s lawyer contacted the Kamloops judicial case manager later in the day to indicate there had been an administrative mix-up. The warrant was vacated shortly after.
Seib, who commanded the Clearwater and Merritt detachments before his arrest last year, was slated to either plead guilty or elect to stand trial on two counts of theft under $5,000 as well as a single charge of breach of trust.
The Crown alleges the former officer, who handed in his resignation last year, stole and used cocaine from police exhibits.
Seib, an 18-year veteran of the RCMP, was suspended as head of Merritt detachment in January last year.
Following the allegation in January, two more charges — theft under $5,000 and breach of trust — were filed in May. RCMP traced back and investigated files Seib handled prior to his initial charges.
Seib resigned from the RCMP shortly after.
Seib or his lawyer is expected to appear in court next Jan. 31 to fix dates for future appearances.
