that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ: "Avert the legal penalties from the Muslims as much as possible, if he has a way out then leave him to his way, for if the Imam makes a mistake in forgiving it would be better than making mistake in punishment."  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ ادْرَءُوا الْحُدُودَ عَنِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ فَإِنْ كَانَ لَهُ مَخْرَجٌ فَخَلُّوا سَبِيلَهُ فَإِنَّ الإِمَامَ أَنْ يُخْطِئَ فِي الْعَفْوِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَنْ يُخْطِئَ فِي الْعُقُوبَةِ  

(Another chain) which is similar to the narration of Muhammad bin Rabi'ah (a narrator in no.1424) but he did not narrate it in Marfu' form.  

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ وَرَوَاهُ وَكِيعٌ عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ زِيَادٍ نَحْوَهُ وَلَمْ يَرْفَعْهُ وَرِوَايَةُ وَكِيعٍ أَصَحُّ وَقَدْ رُوِيَ نَحْوُ هَذَا عَنْ غَيْرِ وَاحِدٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ أَنَّهُمْ قَالُوا مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ وَيَزِيدُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ الدِّمَشْقِيُّ ضَعِيفٌ فِي الْحَدِيثِ وَيَزِيدُ بْنُ أَبِي زِيَادٍ الْكُوفِيُّ أَثْبَتُ مِنْ هَذَا وَأَقْدَمُ