The ruling on intercession in hudud (fixed Qur'anic punishments) after they have been reported to the police

Question:
It is well known that when hudud (fixed Qur'anic punishments) are brought before the judge, it is not permissible to drop them or to intercede on their behalf. Is intercession permissible, or is it permissible to waive the claim, when the matter is with the investigative authority—the police—and before it is referred to the judge?

Answer:
This is a matter requiring careful consideration; because the police authority is a governmental body and a messenger for executing orders, it is part of the authority. Therefore, the obligatory course of action after the matter is brought to the authority is execution. What appears to be the case—and Allah knows best—is that once the crime reaches the police, the court, or the governorate, it is not permissible to leave it alone; rather, the hudud (fixed Qur'anic punishments) must be carried out.
As long as the matter remains among the neighbors and the people and has not reached a governmental center, there is no harm in them covering it up, advising him, reprimanding him, and not exposing him. Whoever covers up a Muslim, Allah will cover him in this world and the Hereafter.