Lee Man-hee, leader of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, speaks during a press conference at a facility of the church in Gapyeong on March 2, 2020.（PHOTO / AFP）

SEOUL - A South Korean court acquitted on Wednesday the leader of a Christian sect charged with obstructing efforts to stamp out one of the world’s first big surges of novel coronavirus infections, the Yonhap news agency said.

Lee Man-hee, a self-proclaimed messiah who founded and heads the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, had been accused of violating the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act by providing incomplete lists of church members requested by health authorities to trace suspected coronavirus infections.

The church was at the centre of the first major COVID-19 epidemic outside China early last year, with nearly 4,200 of its 310,000 followers infected after attending a service in the city of Daegu

The church was at the centre of the first major COVID-19 epidemic outside China early last year, with nearly 4,200 of its 310,000 followers infected after attending a service in the city of Daegu.

READ MORE: South Korea sect leader arrested over coronavirus outbreak

Authorities at the time complained that Lee was not fully cooperating when it came to providing the names of everyone who might have attended services at the church.

Prosecutors had sought a five-year jail term and 3 million won (US$2,700) in fines for Lee.

Lee denied any wrongdoing. He apologised that some church members had caught the virus.

The Suwon District Court acquitted him of the charges, saying lists of church members did not constitute key elements of epidemiological surveys as defined in the law, Yonhap said.

The court, however, found Lee guilty of embezzling 5.6 billion won (US$5.11 million) of church funds to build a residence, and using government facilities for religious services without approval, handing him a four-year suspended prison sentence.

ALSO READ: S. Korea 'at war' with virus, India testing six in Agra

Court officials were not immediately available for comment.

The church welcomed Lee’s acquittal of the COVID-19 accusations but expressed “deep regret” that he had been found guilty of the other charges.

It said it would appeal to prove his innocence.