Don Vito Martinelli, a 56-year-old priest in Corato, was arrested and placed under house arrest during his classes at a local vocational institute where he taught. The arrest stems from grave allegations of sexual violence, including abuse of authority and acts of violence, directed against a young man who was an active participant in his parish.
The Investigation by the Trani Public Prosecutor’s Office
The criminal inquiry began following a formal complaint filed by the victim, who was already an adult at the time of the alleged offenses. The incidents occurred between late 2024 and 2025, a period when Martinelli served as parish priest at the Chiesa del Sacro Cuore in Corato before his transfer in July 2025 to the Chiesa Matrice as a collaborator. Investigators from the State Police, acting on a delegation from the Trani Public Prosecutor’s Office, gathered substantial corroborating evidence supporting the victim’s account of repeated harassment and coercion.
Aquisitive investigative steps were executed following an ordinance issued by the judge for preliminary investigations of the Tribunal of Trani upon a request from the Public Prosecutor’s Office. The Mobile Squad, engaged in the investigation by delegation of the Prosecutor’s Office, sought useful elements to verify what the complainant reported. The gip of the Tribunal of Trani accepted the request and ordered the precautionary custody under house arrest, executed by the State Police. A series of checks were performed by the police to verify the scenario described by the young man. Between December and January, don Vito Martinelli had appeared before the investigators of the Mobile Squad who follow crimes against the person and sexual crimes.
The investigative process involved listening to multiple individuals in whom the young man had confided over time regarding the ongoing situation. Furthermore, wiretaps and intercepted communications provided law enforcement with additional elements confirming the nature of the relationship and the authority the priest wielded over individuals trusting his pastoral guidance.
A Prominent Public Profile and Media Presence
Born in 1970 and ordained a priest on February 3, 2007, Martinelli maintained a wide-ranging footprint in both academic and media circles. He earned a philosophy degree from the University of Bari and a doctorate in sacred theology from Naples in 2017, later teaching modern and contemporary history of philosophy and theoretical philosophy. In 2013 he was part of the preparatory commission of the diocesan Synod; in 2014 he was chaplain of the Oasi Madonna delle Grazie of Corato, serving a nursing home. In 2015 he was appointed parish priest of the Sacro Cuore di Gesù while in 2019 his involvement was announced in Liberi tra le pagine, a reading project intended for inmates at the Turi prison. Alongside his academic pursuits, he became a professional journalist in 1997 and a familiar face on local television networks such as TeleSveva, where he hosted programs like “Due minuti per Dio” to interview public figures about faith.
His media outreach extended to social platforms and other regional broadcasts, where he frequently shared reflections combining religious commentary, literature, and accounts of everyday encounters. The stark contrast between this visible public persona and the serious judicial measures taken by the judge for preliminary investigations at the Tribunal of Trani has sent shockwaves through the local community, as legal proceedings continue to unfold under strict prosecutorial oversight.
