Uncertainty looms over what has led to the defacement of the life-sized bronze statue of iconic reggae legend Bob Marley in Celebrity Park outside the National Stadium.

Celebrity Park is operated by the Government-owned Independence Park Limited.

The statue, which was sculpted by Alvin Marriott, had large splashes of red paint on the hands, feet, back, pants and guitar. A puddle of paint beneath the statue's left shoe was also visible.

Security personnel who man the entrance to the National Stadium noticed the paint on the statue on Wednesday morning, and believed that it was done after Tuesday's football match between Jamaica and Costa Rica, which drew 1-1.

They also speculated that the same paint used in defacing the statue was also used to deface the ticket office on Tuesday.

Numerous passersby, including personnel at the Stadium Gardens Police Station, were unaware of the discolouration of the statue of the late reggae icon.

"Nobody has brought that to our attention, nobody has taken much attention to this, and this is the first time I am hearing of this," one officer said before holding the call to see the statue for himself.

Managing Director at the Bob Marley Museum, Stephanie Marley, explained that she had also been oblivious to its defacement.

"I have no comment at this point because I wasn't aware of this. This is sad. I know it's a bronze statue, and I don't know how it is going be cleaned," she said.

Owen Davis, a resident of Swallowfield, St Andrew, goes closer to look at the paint that was poured on the Bob Marley statue. - Ian Allen