The mother of a man arrested and jailed for ten years for illegal possession of arms says her son is mentally unstable.

Afia Agyapongmaa told Joy News' Kwakye Afre Nuamah her son had suffered this instability for over two years.

She was surprised by the decision of the Circuit Court judge to hand Charles Antwi ten years despite the clear indication the suspect was not in the right frame of mind.

Antwi, 36, stormed the Ringway Gospel branch of Assemblies of God Church, [the same church the president attends] Sunday with a gun hidden under his pants.

He was said to have sat three pews away, just behind where the president would have sat if he were to be in church. He wasn't on Sunday.

Charles Antwi gave himself away when he was found fidgeting on his seat. He was gently whisked away, searched, dispossessed of the gun and arrested.

He was dragged to court and handed a ten year prison term after he confessed to a plot to assassinate the president.

The sentence has generated controversy with some lawyers questioning the judge's verdict.

But the mother of the convict, said his son is not well. According to her Charles Antwi was staying in Sunyani but left to Accra to visit his brother.

He had been threatening to kill the president, the mother stated. She said they sent him to a number of prayer camps but did not succeed in healing him.

She is convinced however the sentence was harsh.