A story is told of Simeo Melkio Ondetto, the rumoured founder of the Legio Maria, of an instance when he allegedly repulsed policemen who are said to have been sent to trouble him and his followers.
According to Lawrence Obonyo, one of his believers from Suna East, Migori County, Ondetto or 'Pope' as they refer to him was a 'galagala' (Luo word for mysterious man).
On this undocumented day, narrates Obonyo, Simeo mesmerised some officers sent to disrupt his operations and scatter his crowd.
He claims that Ondetto became 'bulletproof' hence untouchable and instead dazzled the law enforcers who were sent by a person he never revealed, as is reported by the Standard.
The latter who some worship as their god died 27 years ago, and left behind a network of followers, is believed by his congregation to have had supernatural powers.
However, Ondetto's position in the church is challenged by some people, for instance, former Muhoroni lawmaker Ayiecho Olweny who recently claimed that he never founded the church.
According to the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Chair in Kisumu County, the church was founded by Gaudencia Aoko who was buried in Awasi, Kisumu last week.
But according to Obonyo, Ondetto also had the ability to cleanse and heal people, apart from his great religious teachings.
“Papa’s preaching focused on cursing out of evil spirits, which would make people speak in tongues, and others healed,” he added.
Members of the church are easily identifiable through their long white robes, long and noisy prayers and the uprooting of six lower teeth known as 'negoo' in Luo.
They also don necklaces portraying Ondetto's image.