A 29-year-old accountant accused of importing more than $35,000 worth of cocaine in an oven will have to sit through another trial after a Supreme Court jury failed to reach a verdict yesterday.

Puisne Judge the Hon. Mrs. Justice Wade ordered a retrial for Jerry Alexander Ming after the eight woman-four man jury reported it was deadlocked after four hours of deliberation.

Ming, of Beacon Hill, Sandys Parish, was clearly upset as the jury told Mrs.

Justice Wade they were split eight to four.

Ming denied the charges of importation and having the drugs intended for supply which are said to have occurred on February 2, 1994.

During the nine day trial, the jury heard how Customs officers found the drugs in a General Electric oven and replaced them with a dummy package.

Police followed the delivery truck to Ming's wife's apartment where they waited for him.

On Tuesday, Ming, who is represented by Mr. Archie Warner, told the court that the reason he did not call the Police right after he found the drugs was because he did not trust them due to his wife's alleged love affair with a narcotics officer.

He also told the court about two recorded phone conversations he had of his wife talking to narcotics officers Kevin Christopher and Rudolph Richardson.

"During one call my wife and Kevin Christopher were discussing the fact that Rudolph Richardson, who is alleged to be having an affair with my wife, had asked her to lie when she was put on the stand. They also discussed the fact that Richardson did not trust her as he thought she was attempting to set him up,'' Ming said.

"I also have a recorded tape of Richardson and my wife discussing whether or not it was prudent for them to make sure that any evidence the two of them gave was consistent with their relationship.'' Mr. Warner told the jury that Ming did not call the Police because "the enemy was one and the same''.

"Ming could not turn to the narcotics officers because they were sleeping with his wife.'' he said.

Crown Counsel Mr. Philip Storr said Ming discussing his wife's affair was "simply throwing dirt to make a smoke screen.'' He added: "What possible relevance would it have?'' Throughout the trial Ming told the court that he often shopped overseas because of better prices and he had no idea how the drug package got into his oven.

Earlier, Ming said: "My main concern was why the package was there. And after seeing a piece of paper with HM Customs in the box with the oven I ascertained that the box had been inspected. I could not conceive how Customs could have inspected the oven and not have seen the package.''