Narrated 'Aishah: 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

(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