Originating from Saparua, Putuhena was educated at the Technische Hoge School in Bandung before working as an engineer for the colonial government.

He was appointed public works minister during the Indonesian National Revolution and then served in the government of the State of East Indonesia (NIT).

[5] Following the Japanese invasion of the Dutch East Indies, Putuhena was tasked with destroying food supplies and infrastructure in Lombok in a scorched earth move.

[9] Along with other Moluccan leaders Putuhena cofounded the Partai Politik Maloekoe in May 1946 to preserve the envisioned unitary nature of the Indonesian state in the aftermath of the Linggadjati Agreement.

Putuhena was appointed as a compromise, as while he was firmly in the Republican camp, his Moluccan origin made him an acceptable candidate for the NIT politicians.

[15] The Makassar uprising led by Andi Aziz followed in April, which after its suppression resulted in increased calls for NIT's dissolution.

[19] Following his return from East Indonesia, Putuhena was appointed as secretary general of the ministry of public works, a position in which he remained until 1956.

[20] He rejected an offer to be Ambassador to Burma after he retired, and was placed in the board of Billiton Indonesia, negotiating the company's takeover by the Indonesian government to form PT Timah.

[21] After his retirement from Billiton, Putuhena began working in the private sector, starting a consulting firm to advise on the construction of an Indonesian Atomic Energy Agency facility.

The project was halted in 1965 due to the 30 September movement, causing Putuhena's firm to go bankrupt and forcing him to sell his house to move to a smaller one in Tebet, then within the city outskirts.