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A husband and wife from Zimbabwe who were found complicit in crimes against humanity for their years working together in the Zimbabwe National Army have lost their legal appeals to avoid deportation from Canada.

Richard Tapambwa served in the Zimbabwean National Army for about 20 years; his wife, Stensia Tapambwa, served for about 16 years. Both were promoted to the rank of staff sergeant in the army’s data processing unit.

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Their military service took place when the army was under the authority of former president Robert Mugabe, who faced condemnation for human rights abuses and crimes against humanity.

The couple told Canadian officials that after Richard Tapambwa expressed political views against Mugabe’s ruling party in March 2001, they left Zimbabwe and travelled to the United States, where they lived for more than 10 years without applying for refugee protection.

In 2011, they came to Canada and claimed political asylum.