Arrest warrant issued for former B.C. correctional officer charged with breach of trust

A former British Columbia correctional officer is the subject of an outstanding arrest warrant after being charged with multiple criminal offences, adding another development to the continuing investigation surrounding one of the province’s most high-profile prison escape cases.

Naila Sheikh, who previously worked at the North Fraser Pretrial Centre in Port Coquitlam, has been charged with one count of breach of trust, one count of personation with intent to gain an advantage, and one count of unauthorized use of a computer.

The charges relate to alleged incidents that investigators say occurred between February and March 2024. Authorities have not confirmed whether the allegations are directly connected to the dramatic escape of convicted gang murderer Rabih Alkhalil from the North Fraser Pretrial Centre in July 2022.

Documents indicate that Sheikh served as a case manager for Alkhalil at the time of his escape, a development that has drawn renewed attention to the circumstances surrounding the incident. However, investigators have not publicly established any direct link between her current charges and the prison break.

According to court documents, the breach of trust allegation is connected to Sheikh’s duties as a correctional officer. She is also accused of unauthorized access to the provincial corrections computer system and of allegedly impersonating another individual, identified as Shamaila Sheikh, in or near Victoria for personal gain.

Police have executed an arrest warrant for Sheikh, while prosecutors have confirmed that no court appearances have yet taken place because the warrant remains outstanding.

Attempts to obtain a response from Sheikh regarding the allegations were unsuccessful before publication.

Sheikh is the second former British Columbia corrections employee to face criminal charges within the past year.

Earlier, former correctional officer Ramandeep Rai was charged with breach of trust in a separate investigation. Police later clarified that Rai’s case was unrelated to Alkhalil’s escape. Rai was subsequently sentenced to a two-year conditional sentence to be served in the community after admitting she failed to report that an inmate, with whom she had developed a romantic relationship, possessed a prohibited cellphone inside the correctional facility.

The investigation into Alkhalil’s escape has continued for several years. After remaining a fugitive for approximately three years, he was arrested in Qatar in September 2025 while allegedly living under a false identity. His capture marked a significant breakthrough for Canadian law enforcement agencies involved in the international search.

Authorities have also charged three men with prison breach and conspiracy to commit prison breach, alleging they disguised themselves as contractors to assist Alkhalil in escaping from custody. Those accused include Ryan Van Gool of Harrison Hot Springs, British Columbia, along with Edward Ayoub and John Potvin, both from Ottawa. Potvin was later arrested in Spain and extradited to Canada in January 2026 to face the charges.

The British Columbia Prosecution Service confirmed that the charges against Sheikh were formally sworn on May 28. Prosecutors stated that court proceedings have not yet commenced because the arrest warrant remains active.

The allegations against Sheikh have not been tested in court, and she is presumed innocent unless proven guilty through the judicial process. Meanwhile, investigations into the circumstances surrounding the 2022 prison escape and related matters remain ongoing.

Courtesy: CBC