KINGSTON, Jamaica — Seven years after the Court of Appeal ordered a retrial for Rohan Master, the man accused of murdering gas station owner Sylvia Edwards, he is yet to face a jury of his peers.

The latest roadblock to the trial going forward is that Masters has changed lawyers.

Masters is now being represented by Peter Champagnie, who told the Home Circuit Court this week that he has just been retained and is not yet in possession of the case file.

The case will be mentioned on October 19 for Champagnie to obtain the file, which is believed to be with Master’s previous attorney.

Masters, a reputed member of the Joel Andem Gang, was in 2003 convicted of Edwards’ murder which occurred 12 years ago. He was sentenced to life imprisonment but the appellate court in 2005 quashed his conviction and ordered a retrial.

Masters’ case will be what is called a paper trial — which is the reading of witness statements into evidence — as   all the witnesses in the matter have been killed.

Edwards was kidnapped and killed in July 2000 by members of the Joel Andem Gang. She was murdered after a $200,000 ransom was not met. Her body was found in a shallow grave in Constitution Hill, St Andrew.

In 2008 reputed gang leader Joel Andem, who was also charged in Edwards’ murder, was freed when the prosecution dropped the charge against him for lack of evidence.

Andem is, however, spending time behind bars on another offence.