On Thursday, the military announced that Zimbabwe’s former president Robert Mugabe and his wife have been granted immunity, authorizing the couple to remain in the country.

A spokesman for the Zimbabwean Defense Forces told CNN that a consensus had been reached with the former president. The agreement includes full immunity and guaranteed safety for him and his wife, Grace.

For those who don’t know, Mugabe stepped down from his position on Tuesday, marking a historic moment that brought his 37 years of tyrannous rule to an end. For years Mugabe has been accused of carrying on a campaign of fear in order to remain in power for almost four decades, and there have been a number of human rights activists who have sought justice.

The former leader was accused of issuing a number of massacres in the early to mid-1980s. According to academics, roughly 20,000 people were killed. Mugabe was also accused of corruption to feed his costly lifestyle.

For the past week, Mugabe has been negotiating his departure with the military. After a lengthy process, exasperated military officials gave into Mugabe’s demands for immunity, as well as to keep a number of his properties.

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