Lee Man-hee, head of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, has been found not guilty of violating the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act on Wednesday.

The Suwon District Court acquitted the 89-year-old of charges of obstructing government response efforts during the outbreak at his church. The court said omission in the church's report to authorities listing its members and facilities can't be viewed as impeding quarantine efforts.

However the court indicted him on other charges of obstructing official duties and embezzlement, handing down a three-year prison sentence suspended for four years.

He was indicted for providing inaccurate reports on the size and location of church gatherings which was blamed for a spike in COVID-19 cases in February last year.

He is also accused of embezzling some five billion won in church funds during the construction of a training center and holding religious events at public facilities without approval from the local government. 

Lee was detained in August but released on bail in November and has been standing trial without detention.