Recently the High Court awarded substantial damages to the widow of a man shot dead by the army. The soldiers had been deployed to deal with strike action at ZISCOSTEEL. The soldiers opened fire on the strikers, killing two strikers and injuring 20 others. The judge said: The court is more than satisfied that the joint operation of the defendants at ZISCOSTEEL was an unwarranted and excessive use of force, which cost the deceased life and deprived the plaintiff of support from the deceased.49 However, in the case of Munengami v Minister of Defence50 the court found that the assaults committed by the soldiers had had nothing to do with the business of the army or the Ministry of Defence. It could not be said that they were involved in defending the nation or assisting the police in maintaining law and order. What they did was not calculated to advance their employer’s interests but purely to further their own nefarious designs. 49 Zimonline 26 October 2006 50 HH-45-2006 Who guards the guards? Violations by the Zimbabwe Republic Police, 2000 to 2006