The controversial case of Vice Adm. Mark Norman is back in court Wednesday morning – and federal prosecutors are expected to withdraw their charge against him, a source told Global News.
Norman was the second-in-command of the Canadian military until early 2017, when he was relieved of his duties and later charged with breach of trust for allegedly leaking classified information related to a plan by the then-newly elected Liberals to freeze a sole-sourced shipbuilding contract.
WATCH: May 6 – Conservatives criticize Liberals over handling of Mark Norman case, Liberal MP not running for re-election
That move would have cost taxpayers millions of dollars in penalty fees given Quebec’s Davie Shipyard had already purchased the vessel it was set to convert into an interim supply ship for the navy, after both of its last supply ships had to be retired abruptly following fire and rust damage.
Norman pleaded not guilty to the charge and another federal employee was also charged with the same allegation of breach of trust earlier this year in the case.
READ MORE: Mark Norman’s lawyers use SNC-Lavalin case to press for release of government documents
But the case has been dogged by allegations of political interference by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau after he publicly predicted the case would end up in court before charges were officially laid.
That came after the Public Prosecution Service of Canada issued an advisory telling reporters they “may wish to attend” a scheduled hearing on the case on Wednesday morning.
WATCH: May 4 – ‘SNC Lavalin is a good dry run for the Mark Norman trial’: Andrew Scheer FULL Press Gallery Dinner speech
— With files from The Canadian Press
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